When I think of Hoi An, Vietnam, I think of “dazzling” and I think of Venice. That first glimpse in the night as we walk over the Hội An bridge into Old Town and suddenly see the colored lights and lanterns popping out of the darkness, the silhouette of the sampan boats rowing on the river evoking Venetian gondoliers, the reflections on the dappled surface of the water, takes my breath away. Add to this the crush of people crossing the bridge, reminiscent of the Ponte di Rialto (but with the added hubbub of motorbikes winding their way through the crowd). And then there is the Japanese Covered Bridge that reminds you of Venice’s Bridge of Sighs.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Hoi An was one of the most prosperous international trading ports in Southeast Asia – the center of commerce for merchant vessels from Japan, China, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and India – cultures that left their mark in architecture, customs, art and festivals. Preserved intact and considered a living museum, the Old Town was recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1999, and in 2023, was listed as one of the UNESCO creative cities for handicraft and folk arts – which we enjoy discovering in the many shops and market stalls.
Today’s ride – 20 miles through Hoi An’s countryside – on Day 8 of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam cultural tour, proves my favorite – especially compared to yesterday’s challenging seven-mile ride up to the Hai Van Pass and six miles down the other side. Today’s ride is not just relaxing but really interesting, manifesting the best feature of a bike tour: bringing you into daily life. We ride through villages which represent the “five pillars” of Vietnamese daily life – a carpentry village, fishing village, vegetable village, pottery village.
After breakfast, we pedal right from the five-star European-styled Royal Hotel Hoi An to the hamlet of Thanh Ha, a modest village specializing in making small pottery objects and utensils. We learn that the clay is collected from rice paddies. Several of us get to try the traditional method, and as we leave, we are presented with a gift of a clay animal-shaped whistle.
We continue cycling through the countryside to a small village located on the banks of the Tra Que Lagoon, 2 miles northeast of the Old Town. We meet local residents and enjoy a demonstration of making rice paper, ban xeo and the tam huu local spring roll. We get to try to make it ourselves, as we are treated to tea and rice cake. Every part of the rice plant is used, including the husk which is fuel.
After lunch, we bike to Cam Thanh water coconut village to learn about the daily life of families who fish on the local river, and are paddled around in a “unique” (novel) Vietnamese round bamboo basket boat, coming close to a fishing boat to see how the fisherman tosses out an enormous net.
This is so much more than the gallery of world-renowned photographer, Rehahn – it is an ethnography exhibit of his decade long project to photograph all 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. Magnificent portraits are displayed along with that village’s traditional dress and other artifacts (several of these also decorate the hotel). Magnificent portraits are displayed along with that village’s traditional dress and other artifacts. I love his notes telling the story behind the photograph of the people and the experience. You can also watch outstanding videos. The photos are published in his book, “Vietnam.”
The five rooms spanning 500 sq meters contain hundreds of portraits, 60 costumes and tribal songs. You are immersed in his striking portraits, stories, and heirlooms that equal the best exhibitions in the finest museums in the world and stand as a celebration of heritage and a call for conservation. (Free admission, open daily 8 am-8 pm, 26 Phan Boi Chau – Hoi An 84 94 982 06 98, https://www.Rehahnphotographer.com/)
To get there (a 20 minute walk, or about a mile from the Royal Hotel Hoi An), I walk along the river, through the markets, first geared to tourists, then local markets. But I see why the city bans buses and trucks to enter the city after 4 pm, because as I walk, literally 100 stalls are being moved into position, like a long train, as the night market takes over the street. A long line of rickshaws transporting tourists flow down, and pedestrians take over whatever space is left.
Our group meets for dinner at the Morning Glory Restaurant, which I learn has basically re-invented Vietnamese cuisine after decades of deprivation:
“We had lost a whole generation of chefs and recipes. When you’re living on the most basic rations, taste is not your priority – you just need something to fill your belly and give you energy,” Ms. Vy, founder and owner of The Taste Vietnam Group writes.
“Nowadays, having been a chef for some 40 years, I can look back at our history and understand why Vietnamese cuisine doesn’t yet occupy the position it deserves on the world stage. And this is why I, and many of my colleagues, have tasked ourselves with exposing our amazing gastronomy to the world. We hope to highlight its techniques, the philosophy at its roots, and its historical origins, while at the same time promoting its health and nutritional benefits. We have dedicated our careers to this for our community and our nation.”
These remarks crystallize for me what our Discovery Bicycle Tours guides – Phong, Vinh and Li – have related to us in their personal stories. I was reminded of Phong, standing by a rice paddy, speaking of his holiday gift wish when he was a boy not be hungry, and how so much has changed for his people over the last 40 years.
Indeed, the meal we enjoy at Morning Glory is excellent, imaginative, exquisitely presented as we are entertained by two guitarists.
The restaurant is very clever, offering an entire store, Vy’s Market, filled with household and culinary items (“Herbal Wine for Joints”), as well as a cooking school.
(The next evening, when dinner is on our own, we happen into another of Vy’s restaurants on the other side of the river in the Old Town, with a fantastic saxophonist to entertain, stunning ambiance and delightful menu.)
After dinner, we stroll around on our own – we head toward the Old Town across the Hoi An bridge, and that’s when we come across the most spectacular sight: the colorful lanterns on sampan boats.
The Japanese Covered Bridge was built in the early 17th century by the Japanese who lived in Hoi An town, to cross the stream to do business with the local people in the residential area. The two entrances are guarded by Monkey Gods at one end and a pair of Dog gods at the other. In later centuries, the Chinese and Vietnamese continued to restore the bridge, and built a small temple dedicated to the God Bac de Tran Vo (Emperor of the North).This religious architectural complex has a distinctive pantiled (yin-yang) T-shaped roof, which is related to the misfortune and happiness of the local people, so they often call it Chua Cau (bridge and temple). Chua Cau is also a symbol of the cultural exchange between the Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese people in Hoi An. It is thought to have supernatural power and is still a place of worship. Inside, we see the small temple and historic photos of the bridge.
The morning of Day 9, we transfer to Vinh Dien where we cycle 15 miles to the My Son Sanctuary. At this World Heritage Site, see the remains of the remarkable brick towers.
Visiting My Son Sanctuary is fascinating on multiple levels – it introduces us to a part of Vietnam’s heritage that few would have known – My Son Sanctuary was the spiritual capital of the Cham Kingdom, which dominated Southeast Asia for nearly a thousand years, and is one of the few sites from this era left standing. During the Vietnam (American) War; this area was a stronghold for VietCong fighters and was bombed in 1968 during the Tet Offensive – to the extent that a letter was sent to President Nixon, pleading with him to stop bombing this precious place. Apparently, the bombing was stopped.
We learn that the sanctuary had to be excavated, but the process was impeded by landmines. “In 2000, with the help of the United States, they took out the landmines.” Also, there are snakes (so don’t walk on the grass)
Another interesting thing: they don’t really know how these temples were constructed.
The monuments are considered masterpieces of brick construction of the period, both in terms of the technology of their construction and because of their intricate carved-brick decorations, “unique and without equal in Southeast Asia,” according to UNESCO notes.
The tower temples were constructed over ten centuries in what was the heart of the ancestral homeland of the ruling Dua Clan which unified the Cham clans and established the kingdom of Champapura(Sanskrit for City of the Cham people) in 192 CE. During the 4th to 13th centuries CE this distinctive culture, on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owed its spiritual origins to the Hinduism of the Indian sub-continent.
We get back to Hoi An with the whole afternoon and evening to ourselves.
The Precious Heritage Museum and Art Gallery is so fascinating that I return with Calista Phillips (our Discovery Bike Tours guide) and Pam and we are so fortunate that Rehahn, the photographer himself!, is at the gallery, signing his newest book.
Now we can focus on the markets – when you walk from the Royal Hotel along the riverbank, you see all the tourist-oriented shops and stalls, but walk a bit further and there you have the local markets, and just a bit further than that, is the Gallery.
We stop at a woman who is carving bamboo into the most amazing heads.
The further away from the river front and the further back from the center, the streets empty out, and we just enjoy the atmosphere as we walk back to the Royal Hotel Hoi An.
On Day 6 of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-Day Vietnam Tour, we get to ride (22 miles for the day), biking right from the Pilgrimage Village resort in Hue along country lanes. There is only light local traffic (mainly bicycles, motorbikes and buffaloes) to the Royal Tomb of Emperor Gia Long, the first emperor of Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty.
Built between 1814 and 1820, the mausoleum of Gia Long is a complex of several tombs and temples spread across a tranquil park-like setting of 42 hills and pine forest. What makes this place all the more special is the poignant love story of the Emperor and his first wife, for whom he built the tomb so she could be buried beside him (calling to mind the Taj Mahal).
Our bike ride finishes at a pleasant restaurant in an eco-resort where we enjoy a delightful lunch before getting onto a “dragon” boat that cruises along the Perfume River to visit the famous Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda, with its moat now filled with lotus flowers, dates from the 1870s and has become the symbol of the city of Hue.
We next board our bus and are taken to the magnificent Citadel of Hue. Set on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the walled fortress served as the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, the last feudal dynasty in Vietnam. The Citadel was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993.
This vast complex – 520 hectares – has a moat and ten ornate gates guarding a palace, temples, gardens and tombs.
Our local guide, Vinh, tells us Vietnam was independent from 1802-1883. Then the fourth king passed away and the French moved in, turning Vietnam into its colony, from 1885-1945. “With help of an ally,” the Vietnamese pushed out the French, but that lasted only a year and the French returned in 1946 for nine more years. That triggered the Second Indochina War (what we call the Vietnam War and they call the American War).
This very place where we stand today was the site of a major battle in the Tet Offensive – our guide shows us photos of the Battle of Hue, a siege which lasted from January 31 to March 2, 1968.
As we walk through the expansive grounds, he tells us that the restoration of the palace was only completed last year – but he points to where we can still see bullet holes.
The art, the architecture, the decoration – mosaic, enamel, sculpture –are exquisite, reminding me of China’s Forbidden City in Beijing. It turns out this is not coincidence: Emperor Gia Long modeled his palace complex after Beijing’s Forbidden City.
The experience is enhanced by all the families who have come in their traditional dress (which seems fascinating to me in a Communist country), to pose for photos as part of their Lunar New Year celebration. But it has the effect of completing the feeling of having been transported back in time. There are also large groups of school kids in their white shirts.
Day 7 of the Discovery Bicycle Tours Vietnam tour brings the greatest cycling challenge – the seven mile climb up to the Hai Van Pass– and a visit to the intriguingly named “City of Ghosts.”
But the day starts off with lulling ease – a delightful breakfast at the Pilgrimage Village resort, and a visit to the Vestige of Thanh Toan Tile-Roofed Bridge, a wooden covered bridge originally constructed in 1776 with seven apartments. It was dedicated to Tran Thi Dao, a child of Thanh Thuy Chanh Village and wife of a high-ranking Mandarin in Thuan Hoa Region who provided the funding. The bridge was recognized as a national heritage site in 1990 for its beautiful architecture.
We cross the bridge and enter a busy village market, and after, are brought to an agricultural museum where we are treated to a demonstration of the traditional way the villagers processed rice by a docent with a great sense of humor.
From here, we drive to the An Bang Village Cemetery, intriguingly known as “the City of Ghosts,” for its thousands of ornate mausoleums that extend over 8 km.
Many of the tombs we see in this section are relatively new – dating from 1999 up to 2024 – but are fabulous and enormously expensive, costing $60,000-$70,000, and mostly paid for by relatives from the US, UK and Australia.
A plaque at one of the mausoleums explains it is in honor of Nguyen Van Linh, the first ancestor who established the Nguyen Van family in An Bang-An. He was born in Ky Hoi in 1539 and died in 1588.
From here, we have a picnic lunch before “hopping on our bikes to conquer” Hai Van Pass, also known as the “Pass of Ocean Clouds.” An iconic pass known around the world, it is the highest in Vietnam at 500 meters above sea level. Discovery Bicycle Tours notes that “a new tunnel through the mountain means that the 7 miles up the pass is a very quiet section of highway. The gradient is manageable, and the views are breath taking!” Actually, as I discover, the gradient is 4.6% up to 7.5%. (I think our0 Ride with GPS app even shows 12% at some points.)
Now, all of our bike rides so far have been easy, with very little elevation. But today’s is an absolute challenge, even more challenging than the ride up Acadia’s Cadillac Mountain on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Coastal Maine trip. Notably, we are the only ones doing this pass by bike (versus motorscooter or car) and I am one of the few in our group doing it with a regular hybrid bike (not e-bike).
I have my method – it may not look pretty, but it gets me to the summit: I keep looking down at the road immediately ahead of me (if you look up and see non-ending rise, you stop), try to keep my hands light on the handlebars, relax my shoulders, and think thoughts (mostly of how people have had to suffer but got through it). I stop a couple of times on a relatively flat section to refresh and then start again.
Because of this, I cannot vouch for the claim that this is “one of the great scenic drives around the world,” or a “deserted ribbon of perfection” as some have described it. It’s only later that I learn just how significant the it is: the Hai Van Pass dates back to the 1300s when it marked a physical boundary between the Champa and Dai Viet Kingdoms – you can still see an ancient grand gate at the summit which used to be a border crossing between the two kingdoms.
“Today, the road still represents a division between two distinct sides of Vietnam. Many travellers who backpack the length of the country say that the North and South of the country have two very different personalities, as well as notable climatic differences. The north is colder, more industrial and perhaps more serious, while the south is warmer, more tropical and the people are often said to be more laid-back. The Hai Van Pass is the point at which these two worlds meet.” (https://southeastasiabackpacker.com/hai-van-pass-vietnam/)
I make it to the top (I’ve refused invitations to ride up from our bus driver who has been assiduously following those of us at the back). I take a quick look at the fortress at the summit, and the “spectacular view” (the rest of the group have been at the top for about 20 minutes).
From there, we bike down the other side of the Pass. Coming down is no picnic either – controlling the speed on the switchbacks. The best part of the ride is having done it. It has proved to be as tough and arduous as I expected (feared) and as satisfying to have done it as I had hoped.
In the bus on the way into the city of Hoi An, we delight in watching the massive traffic of scooters and play a game to find fours and fives on a scooter (since it seems this is the time that families pick up their kids, it isn’t hard), and interesting, the amusing decorations on helmets that express their individuality.
Soon after embarking on the Dragon Legend for our overnight cruise of Bai Tu Long Bay, we are captivated by the picturesque karst islands that dot from the water, a dreamy landscape evoking classical paintings.
It is our fourth day on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Vietnam tour, and we had set out from the magnificent Emeralda Resort in Ninh Binh right after breakfast.
Along the drive, we see massive industrial parks being built on land that had been used to cultivate rice, big enough to have 500,000 workers.
What we don’t see, though, are housing communities and roads that would deliver those workers – so I wonder if that is because workers are housed within the industrial compounds and only see their family four days in the month? I wonder why in this freer, more prosperous, modern Vietnam they do not build industrial parks with adjacent communities with schools, groceries, parks, so that workers can have a family life, while young, single workers can live in worker housing and save money.
We see a bus load of young recruits starting their mandatory two-year military service. They are being followed by supportive friends on motorbikes, waving flags, seeing them off.
As we drive through the countryside, it seems just about every square meter is farmed or built on with houses. The new industrial parks that are being constructed near Hai Phong, Vietnam’s largest port in the north. In1964, Hai Phong, the biggest seaport in Vietnam, was the supply post from Russia and China and was the most heavily bombed.
Today, our bus is traveling on the beautiful and modern 120 km long Hanoi-Hai Phong Highway.
The government is extending the highway to go all the way north-to-south and constructing an express (bullet) train “so you would be able to have breakfast in Hanoi and lunch in Saigon.” The contractors are from Japan and China.
The rest stop on the highway offers a fascinating demonstration in the technique for oyster pearl farming devised here: a method of cutting a membrane, treating the oyster with an anti-bacterial, then implanting a seed into the oyster to stimulate the oyster to produce a pearl. “Like IVF for the oyster.”
Then the treated oyster is placed in a mesh bag (they can stay out of water for five hours), which will be put into the sea where it takes one to five years to cultivate the pearl.
She tells us that 30% of these oysters survive; of these, only 20% produce a pearl of sufficient quality for jewelry (there are grades like for diamonds).
At another station, we get to see the oyster opened to extract a pearl. Believe it or not, the oyster can be eaten after this.
Every part of the oyster has a use. The “irregular” ones with no shine are crushed for cosmetic pearl cream (makes you 10 years younger!); the irregular ones that have good sheen are used for earrings. “Nothing is wasted.” Mother of pearl is used for buttons and lacquerware.
Some oysters only live 1 to 2 years and are implanted once, but Black and South Sea pearl oysters, which take 2-5 years to produce the pearl, can be implanted once more after extracting the pearl.
We are then invited into a massive showroom where, we are told we can get a 5% discount and use any kind of currency or credit card. Boy, these guys are really good at capitalism!
Indeed, at this popular port of Ha Long City with loads of international chain hotels, we see massive luxury buildings that are standing empty – built during a building boom to attract those who could afford the $1 million price tag.
The Dragon Legend, one of the IndoChina Junk fleet, is a gorgeous ship (my room is massive) We have all the comforts we could possibly want (except WiFi).
After lunch onboard the ship, we tender to Hon Co Island – one of the few (out of 4000 karst islands in the Bay) where people are allowed to hike. We hike up stone stairs into the hidden Thien Canh Son Cave, then down to a beautiful sand beach.
The tender next takes us to a floating dock where we get into kayaks and paddle around another small karst island before returning to the ship for the sunset (at 5 pm), cocktails, and dinner.
Dinner is marvelous, followed by a few entertainments (the GM does some card tricks). A few of us take up the invitation to try fishing off the boat using nothing but a bamboo pole and lure – a couple of squid are caught triggering squeals of delight.
I get up early for the sunrise Tai Chi (so fun, except it is cloudy). After breakfast, we tender to Vung Vieng, a floating fishing village, which proves a true highlight of the cruise.
Located some 22 km from any town, Vung Vieng has been the floating home to as many as 80 families since the 19th century. The homes still have no electricity (a community center and the dock where we board the rowboats to visit the village, has solar power).
A sign on the dock as we await to board the rowboats relates that the Vung Vieng fishing village began as an anchorage to give boats a place to rest and avoid storms, but over time, some households began to settle here, increasing in number until nearly 80 in 2014.
“With the help of the people of the United States, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), nongovernmental organizations, and others, dozens of fishing village households have participated in Halong Cat Ba Bay Initiative Alliance with a model of sustainable aquaculture combining responsible tourism on Ha Long Bay, so that Vung Vieng fishing village can be preserved for the future,” the sign notes. The village has been bringing tourists to visit for the past 25 years, an important source of financial support.
Seeing the sign that credits the assistance of USAID, retriggers my fury at the destruction of America’s reputation and role in the world.
We are rowed around the karst island in a traditional wooden rowboat to where the modest homes (not much bigger than a shack) are on wooden floats, sheltered by the rock formations on either side. Those of the village who are not rowing us are likely out fishing, so we see only a few people still at home – there are more dogs than people.
While there is a solar panel in the community building, there is little electricity – no hot water shower, only a wood fire stove for cooking and heat. Barrels collect rainwater from the roofs for drinking. The villagers subsist on fish (halibut, snapper, mackerel, grouper, sea bass, tuna), and scuba divers gather scallops and oysters.
We also see an actual oyster farm and when we return to the floating dock we have another demonstration of the remarkable process of inserting a seed in an oyster to produce a pearl.
Back onboard the Dragon Legend, we have lunch as it cruises back to port. We depart the ship and drive to the airport in Hanoi to continue our Vietnam adventure in Hue, in central Vietnam.
On the bus ride to Hanoi Airport, we see pickleball and gyms, lots of bridal gown shops, a Make Up Academy. Cell phones are ubiquitous, but where are the cell phone stores?
I’m fascinated to see large advertising billboards that remind me of the 1950s. One reads “Better Kitchen. Better Life.”
We fly into Danang Airport – yet another modern, comfortable, well organized international airport just bustling with travelers from all over the world. (Normally, Discovery would fly us directly into Hue but there weren’t enough plane tickets to accommodate the group.)
Danang is a familiar name for Americans – it was a base for Americans during the War. In the last 20 years, like the rest of Vietnam, Danang has seen extraordinary growth, progress and prosperity. In 1975-80, the population was 50,000; today the population is 1.5 million and has become the fourth largest city in Vietnam after Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong. It is a popular place to live– just 10 minutes to the mountain, 10 minutes to the beach and seaport.
We are headed to Hue, a city of 300,000, where we will spend two nights at the Pilgrimage Village, a gorgeous five-star resort surrounded by lush gardens, 10 minutes from the bustling downtown.
As it is, our truck driver and bike mechanic have been driving for two days to bring our bikes from Hanoi to Hue so we can begin the biking portion of our Vietnam cultural tour.
We have dinner on our own – and since the downtown is a distance from the hotel, the bus takes us and picks us up (we have a devil of a time finding our way back to where the pick-up is).
I am dazzled by Hue, a bustling, colorful, festive downtown, jam-packed with people crowding the restaurants, the merchants hawking crafts on the streets.
And I really love our stay at the Pilgrimage Village, with its lush garden setting – especially swimming in a picturesque pool as darkness falls and having breakfast in a lodge overlooking the water and gardens.
One of the most heavenly experiences in Ninh Binh, Vietnam, is to visit Tam Coc (three caves), a peaceful valley set amid karst hills. Here we are rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the trio of caves on a traditional wooden boat where the oarsperson paddles using her legs and feet. It is inexplicable how the oarsmen (most are women) are able to maneuver.
The endpoint of this thrilling and gorgeously scenic water route is a Tran Dynasty temple where Saint Quy Minh Dai Vuong, an earth and water deity, and his wife are worshipped. It is mind-blowing to realize the temple was first constructed 1000 years ago during the Dinh dynasty.“The Temple contains four stone pillars, each of which is a piece of art that our forefathers left behind for posterity, but which remain a mystery, with clever, artistically carved patterned borders. The spirits were known to the ancients as Long (dragon), Ly (Qilin, a unicorn, part dragon, part horse), Quy (turtle) and Phuong (phoenix) – indeed, the four sacred animals we had seen during the Water Puppet cultural show in Hanoi.
This is our third morning on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam cultural tour, and after a fabulous breakfast at the Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort, we travel by bus through the picturesque countryside. It will also be our first day biking in Vietnam.
We turn off local roads to cycle among the rice paddies and our guide, Nguyen Hong Phong, stops to explain the rice culture that has been so fundamental to Vietnam for 4000 years. (I can see how the “water puppets” we saw in Hanoi reflect this wet rice culture.)
Before 1986, communal farming prevailed – the property was owned by the government and the farmers earned a share (theoretically equal but apparently not really, Phong suggests). But production wasn’t sufficient and people didn’t get enough rice.
Phong tells us that when he was a boy, his biggest wish at the Lunar New Year was to have enough food and clothes without stitches. When there wasn’t enough rice, they would mix in corn, tapioca, and “privately, secretly” catch snails, snakes, rats from the rice paddies. Even dogs and cats were protein for people.
But a new law in 1986 allowed private ownership and open markets. The government divided up the land among the farmers. By 1996, Vietnam produced enough rice not only to feed its own population but to export, becoming one of the biggest rice exporters in the world.
But a new problem has arisen because young people can make more money in factories than on the farm, and farms are being abandoned or farmers have to hire workers.
Phong explains the process: dropping a seed and the sprout grows, within one month to 20 cm high, then the sprout is uprooted and transplanted. They have to build fences to keep out rats, mice, and fill with water to stop snails. After 3 ½ months growing, the rice plants are put into a nursery for one month more. By the time the plant is one meter tall, ripened to yellow, it is cut by hand or machine.
We learn how every part of the rice crop is utilized. But what I don’t understand is why white rice prevails even through the lean years of hunger and deprivation, when brown rice would be more nutritious and less costly to produce.
We stop along our cycling route to visit a community cemetery for war soldiers. Between 1945 and 1975, 3 million died in war, including one million soldiers. “Each community has a memorial, with the remains and the name of the person who died for freedom.” July 27 is the Day of the War Soldier, when families come and burn incense. A white flower on the grave indicates the soldier died without a family, a yellow flower denotes the soldier had family. We see the ages of these fallen soldiers, some as young as 18.
Biking to Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital City
After pedaling through several villages set amid a landscape of magnificent limestone peaks, we reach Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 during the first two imperial dynasties of Vietnam: the Đinh founded by Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and the Early Lê founded by Lê Đại Hành. When the Lê dynasty ended, in 1010, Lý Công Uẩn, the founder of the Lý dynasty, transferred the capital to Thăng Long (now Hanoi),60 miles away, and Hoa Lư became known as the “ancient capital.”
At the entrance is the “stone dragon bed,’ where the king would have gotten off his elephant transport and walked the central path through the archway into the temple, while the mandarins entered through the sides.
Phong relates that in a feudal society, when a king passes away, they build several mausoleums so people don’t know where his actual body is buried – those that buried him are killed to keep the secret.
The thought occurs to me: To go from a king who can execute and torture at will to a dictator, even one who imprisons, tortures, and kills dissidents to preserve power but nonetheless is focused on bettering the lives of his people rather than his own aggrandizement, was a step up for the Vietnamese. But for us who are used to “rule of law”, “due process”, “equal rights”, “no man is above the war,” “justice without fear or favor,” and the ability to vote out an elected official, to find ourselves under the thumb of a dictator who politicizes justice, rules by violence, extortion, intimidation and oppression for his own benefit, is horrifying.
Also, what a difference peace makes to progress and quality of life.
We have a brief visit to the Old Palace.
We continue biking and stop at a cemetery– one of many we see in these rice paddies. Phong tells us it is common for the families to build a tomb for their ancestors within their allotment.
Driving on the highway, we stop at one of several modern rest stops which also house handicraft shops employing people with disabilities. This one employs some 500 people and specializes in really fine embroidery (others specialize in painting, sculpture, lacquerware and other crafts)
The manager who greets us explains that these handicraft shops were opened in 1996.”Before they worked here, they stayed at home and couldn’t work. Now they get trained and can support themselves and their family. They have housing and are bused from home.”
We watch how these craftspeople embroider these magnificent scenes that match a photo. The manager says it can take 2 ½ months to make one smaller embroidery, 4 months for medium sized and 8 months for large; 65% of the purchase price goes to the worker.
These folks have really perfected capitalism. The general manager finishes his introduction saying, ‘It’s the new year. We give good price. No tax.” They make it easy to spend US dollars, use credit cards and ship purchases home.
It’s a private company but gets support from government, so I ask Phong, “so this is a private non-profit”? “Nothing is ‘nonprofit’” he replies with a note of cynism. (He made a similar reply when describing how after the Communists took over government, ostensibly to give equal portions, he snidely inserted, “of course, nothing is really equal.”)
Later I ask Phong about taxes people pay and am surprised that they are similar structure to what we pay: under $500 income, no tax, then a progressive rate up to 35% based on income that includes their equivalent of social security, plus 2% for health care. With health care, they also have some covered and some out-of-pocket expense but I can imagine the cost of their health care is a fraction of what we pay in the US.
We stay for a second glorious night at the magnificent Emeralda Resort, sprawling like its own village with a palace-like entrance, outdoor and indoor pools, kids club, restaurants, and rooms the size of apartments. I get in a swim before enjoying a fabulous dinner together at the restaurant.
The next morning, we head to Bai Tu Long Bay for an overnight cruise on the Dragon Legend.
Visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is a profound experience – revelatory, even. I had not expected to see the great liberator of Vietnam’s actual body, lighted from above. And shortly after, standing outside the Soviet-built mausoleum, I realize as we listen to our guide, Nguyen Hong Phong, that I had no actual understanding of who Ho Chi Minh was. Combing the recesses of my mind, I realize I saw Ho Chi Minh simply as the enemy and likely a brutal dictator (more like China’s Mao Tse-Tung). And even though I had lived through the Vietnam War (known here as the American War), I really hadn’t understood that either.
But here in Hanoi on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Vietnam tour, I can see how Ho Chi Minh is justifiably venerated as a hero to his people – George Washington, Lincoln and FDR rolled into one. Visiting is like a pilgrimage with rules that accord him maximum respect. We walk up the stairs into the mausoleum, and slowly walk around his actual body, lit from above, as if he is merely sleeping – the still sleeping Liberator.
Ho Chi Minh, Phong tells us, “is the most respected in Vietnam. People changed their name to Ho. He is worshipped like a god in homes. He overcame the French, Japanese, Chinese and Americans for independence and freedom. Now we live in a peaceful country because of Ho Chi Minh.”
Our Discovery Bicycle Tours group at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum
Coming back to the front of his mausoleum (built by the Soviets), Phong relates that Ho Chi Minh was born in 1890 into an educated family – his father was a Mandarin, working for a royal family. In feudal society, only men went to school and women stayed at home. He and his brother went to a French school.
He attended college in Saigon in 1911, studying culinary arts and applied to work as a cook in France. He wound up working on a ship, traveling to America, Britain, France, Russia and in 1928, went to China. Seeing the world in this way is what cultivated his revolutionary ideology and zeal to liberate Vietnam from foreign imperialists. On Feb 3 1930, he gathered party leaders and set up the Communist party.
“What he really learned was the importance of making Vietnam independent. He left Vietnam to learn enough about the French to kick them out,” Phong tells us.
He returned to Vietnam in 1941, having been away for 30 years. In 1944, Ho Chi Minh and General Japp (also a national hero) set up the Viet Minh, to resist foreign occupation by theFrench and Japanese during World War II.
When the Japanese and the French (who had occupied Vietnam since 1868, introducing Roman alphabet to replace Chinese characters the people used for 1000 years) left in 1945 at the end of World War II, on Sept 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam. But after only one year, in 1946, the French attacked, forcing Ho Chi Minh into the mountains and retaking control.
“He wanted peace and agreed to divide the country in two for two years. They agreed to divide along the 17th parallel. It was supposed to be temporary. Five million people (mostly Catholic), fled south while one million southerners moved north. Then there was supposed to be national elections.”
But the US blocked the election (claiming concern for a “domino effect” of Chinese-led Communism spreading across IndoChina) and set up a puppet government in the south
When the war ended in 1975, Vietnam was united under the Communist regime.
The South Vietnamese who worked for the Americans were terrified of retribution and left (they were the “boat people”)
But Vietnam was still not at peace. China set up a new government in Cambodia that attacked South Vietnam. Fighting continued from 1979-1988.
Vietnam has only had real peace since 1988.
In 1986, the government implemented a “revision policy”: “We close the past, and look to the future,” Phong tells us. “The state still owned industry but allowed people to own their own businesses, allowed private enterprise and open markets. The rice fields were divided so you worked for yourself.”
From the mausoleum, we visit the complex where he lived – the Presidential Palace taken over from the French (Ho Chi Minh refused to live in it and only used the palace as an office and to receive dignitaries). Instead, from 1944-48 he insisted on living in a modest one-bedroom house, then moved to a house on stilts (reminiscent of where he lived with a Thai family), which again, was absolutely beautiful, but very modest.
In 1967, Ho Chi Minh became sick with lung cancer and was moved into another house, steps away from his house on stilts. This one looks camouflaged like a bunker, and was connected to underground bunker because by then, the US was bombing Hanoi. When he died in 1969, at the age of 79, the location of his body was kept secret and moved multiple times. His body was kept inside a cave until 1973, when the US left, and then asked Russia to build a complex. Until 1977, they moved his body nightly, keeping the coffin hidden underground. Peering through the windows of his homes provides a window into who Ho Chi Minh was in life.
Before we leave the complex, we visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which dates back to 1049. The French destroyed it in 1954, but the Vietnamese rebuilt it in 1955. There is a billboard that lays out the moral “do’s” and ”don’ts” of Buddhist/Confucian/Taoist society.
If I had questioned how Americans would be received in Vietnam, I soon get my answer standing in front of a monument to John McCain at the lake where McCain’s plane was shot down in 1967. McCain began six years as a prisoner in the dreaded Hoa Lo Prison, infamously known as the “Hanoi Hilton” – famously refusing to leave until his comrades were also freed. (We don’t get to visit but today it is a historic museum which has an exhibit devoted to the American prisoners, but is mostly showcasing French colonialism, see “Museum Hopping and Shopping in Hanoi”). The monument dates from 1992, when John McCain became one of the first Americans to come to Vietnam to heal relations; President Bill Clinton established relations in 1993 and helped revive Vietnam’s economy.
In December 1972, American B52s bombed Hanoi, surrounding villages and hospitals. As we look around Hanoi today, there is little evidence of that.
If Vietnamese still resent Americans you do not feel it at all. When I ask our guides about that, I am told “We are a Buddhist country. We do not look to the past; we look to the future.” If anything, though, there is still resentment between North and South Vietnamese, similar to the cultural divisions that remain between north and south since America’s civil war.
“The Vietnamese love Bill Clinton, the first US president to visit after the war, and we love John McCain. The United States is one of seven countries with the best relations,” Phong says – US, France, Australia, and Russia. “We close the past and look to the future.” Interestingly, considering one of the excuses for the US to enter the Vietnam War – the “domino theory” that China would take over IndoChina – is that Vietnam is wary of China, which had dominated Vietnam for 1000 years. “Local people feel cautious about China’s ambition to invade.”
It is our second day on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam tour, and we’ve come to the Mausoleum after stopping first at the bike rental shop owned by Mr. Trung, a 70-year old former national champion and president of the Giant UNCC (he poses with us and shows magazines that feature him), where we are fitted for bikes that we will use in Ninh Binh, Hue and Hoi An.
From here, we drive a couple of hours to the Thung Nham Ecotourism Zone (I enjoy looking out to the scenery, how soon we find ourselves amid rice paddies and farms). It is sunset when we are taken by traditional boat into a bird sanctuary. Flocks of birds – storks, herons, teals, tropical starlings – take their positions in the tree tops over the Thung Nham wetland. There is a stunning resort set within the preserve, all the more gorgeous as lights and lanterns come on as the sun sets.
Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Biking Vietnam tour is designed along the best principles of travel: to explore, discover, learn, make connections, be present, experiential, meaningful and revelatory, and do it in a way that maximizes the benefits and minimizing the negative impacts of tourism.
Of the 12 days we spend in Vietnam, traveling from north, to central, to south (flying between regions), we bike on six of them. That might seem odd for a biking tour, but you don’t travel 30 hours to Vietnam and miss the important highlights, like Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum in Hanoi, taking a traditional row boat through the caves of Ninh Binh; cruising overnight on the Ha Long Bay; discovering the Citadel and Imperial City of Hue; walking the colorful markets and enjoying the nightlife of Hoi An; or touring the War Remnants Museum, the historic Ben Thanh Market, or miss the experience of street food in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) because you are obsessive about biking. We get to do all of these, and also bike through villages, stopping to learn about traditional crafts, and amid the rice paddies to learn about Vietnam’s 4000-year old wet rice culture and ancestor worship.
Riding in the bus between destinations lets us see the countryside (and I have set myself a challenge to get photos of people working in the fields and four people riding a motor scooter); the way the homes are laid out, the ancestral tombs in the fields, the occasional tractor, the massive, new industrial parks under construction. You see progress unfolding at the speed of the bus, all the more impressive when you realize what a young country Vietnam is, having proclaimed independence in 1945 but only “reunified” in 1975.
The essence of this tour is about familiarizing us with the Vietnamese people (who, we learn, are a mosaic of 54 different tribes), the rich cultural heritage and today’s achievements in overcoming literally millennia of conflict, war, oppression, colonialism. When we bike, hike or walk, we barely have to think a question, let along ask it, before our guide, Nguyen Hong Phong, stops and answers. “This is normal for me, curious for you,” he tells us at the outset, as we sit for tea in the Apricot Hotel on our first afternoon together in Hanoi. “When you are curious, just ask,” he adds.
2025 marks the 50th anniversary since the Fall of Saigon that so abruptly ended an interminable war (and reunification as an independent country). You can’t escape the fact of the “American War” (which frankly was the tail end of a decades long war for independence before the United States interceded), but our tour seems to sidestep the past in favor of the present. This is probably a reflection of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ primary focus for its guests: “You’re on vacation!”
(There are several important sites that are not included in this tour that I would recommend setting up pre and post days: the Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, infamously known as “Hanoi Hilton” and the Chi Chi Tunnels which is an excursion from Saigon. Even the War Remnants Museum, a must-see in Ho Chi Minh City, was not on the itinerary but we visit when we could not visit the Reunification Palace as planned.)
Still, there is no escaping the past: in Hanoi when we visit Ho Chi Minh’s 1968 residence, built like a camouflaged bunker with escape tunnels and learn they moved his body regularly when he died in 1969; when we visit the John McCain Monument where the American hero’s plane went down and he was captured; when we see the bullet holes in the Citadel in Hue and are shown photos of fighting that took place on the very spot where we stand; and when we visit My Son, a sacred historic site outside of Saigon, and learn that the Vietnamese appealed to President Nixon to stop bombing. I think Americans who visit Vietnam have an obligation to see what was done in our name, especially because it is so important to learn from history so not to make the same mistakes, and not be duped by an administration determined to go to war for its own political agenda.
I frankly didn’t know how I would react coming to Vietnam – I am the generation that lived through the Vietnam War (known here as “The American War”), or how Americans would be received. My questions are soon answered – the Vietnamese warmly welcome us Americans (and French and Chinese and a list of nationalities that have oppressed Vietnam). Vietnam is nothing like what I expected – in a good way. It’s in this capacity that one of the important attributes of travel come to fore: we travelers are ambassadors, promoting mutual understanding and connection.
In Vietnam today, you can see the impact of peace, free markets, free enterprise have to achieve prosperity – a lesson to all those who are inciting conflict and war. You see the benefits of trade and globalization – a lesson for those who would disrupt and unravel alliances and build barriers instead of bridges.
Old Hanoi
Since our group is first meeting together at 1 pm for a walking tour, I have the morning to myself to explore. I walk across the street from our luxury hotel, The Apricot, to the park that rings the small, picturesque lake.
We are here during the month-long Lunar New Year celebration, made even more festive because of the 50th anniversary of reunification – everywhere that is possible has decorations reminiscent of how we celebrate Christmas. People dress in their formal, traditional costumes and pose for photos taken by professional photographers. People travel on holiday. There is a festive atmosphere everywhere.
There are political symbols, posters, flags and such but no more than the giant advertising billboards and the Starbucks, KFCs, McDonalds, Burger Kings. Also, I am flabbergasted at the proliferation of motorscooters and the paucity of bicycles. Crossing any street takes fortitude and a measure of fatalism, but where there are traffic signals, the systems are sophisticated and effective. Also, cell phones are ubiquitous.
I head into the Old Quarter where I am intrigued at the “old propaganda posters” shops, the coffee shops (who knew Vietnam was such a major producer and exporter of coffee?), and massage parlors as common as nail salons at home.
The Propaganda Poster Shop seems more to satisfy the American and European tourists who visit (“Make Art Not War”).
But here at the Propaganda Poster Shop I happen to see many postcards for Train Street (reminding me of Lisbon) which suggests it is an important site and inspires me to go in search of this place.
After getting lost (my WiFi isn’t working and I can’t figure out the map) and stopping numerous people to point me in the right direction, I look up and am drawn to colorful lanterns, walk up a staircase and find myself quite literally on the train tracks. Train Street!
People have set themselves at café tables and chairs and are even hanging out on the tracks taking photos. It is all the more amazing because it turns out it is just 5 minutes before the train is due (and I am so lucky because only a few trains come through a day). With 5 minutes to go, there is even a baby playing on the track!
I am standing alongside the track and a lady yells at me to sit down in one of the plastic chairs, like a kid’s chair. As the train comes tearing through at what seems a very fast speed, it is so close that had I held out my hand, it would have been taken off. I reflexively suck in my breath and try to make myself as small as possible until it passes. Unbelievably thrilling.
I feel proud of myself for being able to find my way back to the hotel by 1 pm in time to meet our Discovery Bicycle group for our first activity together, a walking tour of the Old District. I have already been traveling with 8 of the group for Discovery Bicycle’s four-day Cambodia pre-tour and now we meet the other 10.
Phong leads us to the St. John Cathedral, the oldest church in Hanoi. Built on the site of the biggest, most sacred Buddhist pagodas of the Ly-Tran Dynasties, the cathedral was constructed at the end of the 18th century of wood, then reconstructed with baked clay in 1884-1888. Phong tells us that Catholics are a minority; the biggest religion in Vietnam, he says, is “triple religion” – a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism (ancestor worship).We will see evidence of this everywhere we go.
Phong volunteers that the Communist government “allows free religious worship and free press” (though I question what he means by “free press”), then adds that protest against the Communist Party is not allowed; nor is there an opposition candidate in elections. Vietnam has been a one-party government since 1954, but in 1986 introduced new freedom in commerce and open markets.
“We have more freedom than in China. They block media there, here they block the BBC but we can get CNN.” Whatever they block, he says, people get curious and have their ways of accessing.
“Society is improving for ordinary people. Since 1988, we are living in peace. We feel more freedom, a peaceful country. We are now friends with Russia, Ukraine, the European Union. The USA is one of seven strongest friends. Peace is good for people, good for the country. [Tourists want to] come to a peaceful country.”
Phong tells us he learned English (as well as French and Chinese) at university where he studied tourism, but today, children are taught English as early as 3 and 4 years old in school. Public school is free he tells us, even in the mountains where parents are actually given a money incentive to send their kids to school.
We walk through Hanoi’s Old Quarter where the name of the street may well describe what enterprises take place there, established generations ago by the people who resettled in the city: Tin Street, Silver Street, Basket Street, Copper Street.
We return at 3 pm for tea at the Apricot Hotel – an elaborate affair – that includes an introduction and orientation to our 12-day tour (with biking!) with Phong as our lead guide.. Indeed, we will go first thing the next morning to get sized for our rental bikes which we will use for five of the days (the driver and bike mechanic who travels will us will travel 2 ½ days to Hue, when we fly), and will pick up a different bike in Ho Chi Minh City (way too far to drive and return).
I realize that we have just enough time to see the 5:15 pm traditional Water Puppet Theater cultural show just across the street from the hotel, before we meet again to go to dinner.
I had seen this heritage show when I was in Ho Chi Minh City six years before, so was enthusiastic to see it here, and encourage my traveling companions to come.
Most of our group from the four-day Cambodia pre-tour (we really bonded) are game and we actually purchase the last tickets for this immensely popular program. The show is a cultural treasure that utilizes this traditional art form, with musicians performing with traditional musical instruments and song, fables and folk stories enacted by these marvelous puppeteers (yes, the puppets are in a pool of water!).
Captions and notes about the theater and the scenes are flashed on the walls beside the stage. Vietnam water puppetry, I learn, was born from the rice civilization in the Red River Delta, so agriculture is vividly depicted by the puppets, with farmers and familiar images such as riding buffalo, plowing, harrowing, transplanting rice, slapping water, harvesting. (Later, when we bike among the rice paddies, we will see how this tradition originated.)
One of the scenes enacts “The Legend of Returning the Sword by King Le Loi” where LeLoi caught a holy sword by chance as he led the resistance war. After defeating the invaders, he proclaimed himself king. King Le Li goes out boating on the Green Water Lake, when suddenly a large turtle surfaced, took the sword from King Le Loi’s belt, and dived back into the depths, carrying the glowing sword in his mouth. (This is all enacted with puppets in the water).
The humor that is integral to the culture is displayed where the puppets enact an old farmer “Chasing fox away from the flock of ducks”. “It creates Vietnamese optimistic farmers,” the notes say.
The notes for “The Spirit Mediums Spiritual Dance,” say that “Vietnam’s Mother Goddess worship has been honored by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. In today’s life, Mother Goddess worship is mainly known to the community through the concept of ‘The Spirit Mediums’. Traditional cultural elements such as costumes, music, dance and folk performances imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity are created, developed and passed on from generation to generation.”
The ”Four Sacred Animals Dance” brings together Long, Ly, Quy and Phuong (Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, Phoenix) “praising the nature of heaven and earth, hoping for a peaceful state and a peaceful and happy life.”
There are fire effects and of course water effects and amazing choreography – you actually cannot figure out how the puppeteers coordinate so well (and underwater!) – and then the puppeteers appear for their curtain call, up to their waist in water.
The show finishes just in time for us to walk together to dinner in a charming restaurant in the Old District.
A note on the table about the apple cider makes us giggle: “Cider drinkers get more refreshment and excitement while still keeping their sanity. Especially suitable for women.”
Our lunches and dinners at restaurants are typically pre-ordered and served family style, with multiple courses so that we typically have chicken, beef, seafood, vegetable, rice, soup dishes – always with more than enough to satisfy even American appetites, and to get a really excellent idea of the cuisine.
Exploring the Apricot Hotel (we will be leaving early in the morning after breakfast), we discover an exquisite rooftop indoor pool and bar with a giant video screen. The artwork around the hotel, the elegant (French-inspired) furnishings are gorgeous.
Today – technically the third day of our four-day Discovery Bicycle Tours Cambodia pre-tour in Siem Reap – is our first real bike ride, planned for 36 miles. We pick up our bikes at the tourist office where we also pick up our passes for the national historic sites, and cycle right into the Angkor Archeological Park. We cycle on the Angkor Bikeway and hidden trails through the ruins and forest of Angkor. (Calista Phillips, our Discovery Bicycle Tours guide, and I have already acquired our passes on the first evening when we went to see the sunset at Phnom Bakheng; the three-day pass allows for three, nonconsecutive days of visits. Discovery purchases our tickets and reimburses me the $62 I spent.)
We bike on country lanes with rice paddies and fields on either side, seeing homes with thatch roofs, water buffalo. Our guide, Ta, shows us a cashew nut as it is plucked from the tree, the outer layer opened releasing a noxious acid; and the abandoned skin of a snake.
What feels like 10 of the miles (though probably less), is riding through a thick layer of sand (like skiing on ice). Once I get the hang of it (the trick is getting into a lower gear), it is still stressful, requiring concentration, but not as scary, with immense and lasting satisfaction when we come to the end of this country road, where we come to a literal archway. Here we find a USAID hat in the middle of that sandy road – crumpled, ripped, dirty, trampled – a metaphor it seemed for what Trump/Musk had just done by shutting down USAID.
We ride a bit further on regular streets and have our first snack stop – with local foods (best cashews ever), dragon fruit, bananas, and coconuts cut so we can drink the juice with a straw, and then come upon a wedding, where the uncle of the groom comes rushing out to greet one of our riders, Pam, who he had helped rescue just two days before when their taxi had car trouble on the way from the airport. Small world!
We come to our first temple, Banteay Srei, a 10th century temple dedicated to the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati, which is considered a “jewel of Khmer art” because of its intricate carvings.
The full ride is 36 miles but we have to cut it short by 6 miles for time, so are transported to the last two temples by bus (others could cut short the ride even earlier because the bus and bike truck pretty much follow us).
Our next stop is Ta Som with its dramatic ficus (fig) tree enveloping one of the towers. It was constructed at the end of 12th century, beginning of 13th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII and features monumental gateways and a central shrine decorated with intricate carvings that I find dazzling. It was destroyed centuries ago and lay in ruins until international partners provided assistance to restore it. The temple earned a place on the World Heritage list in 1992 and was the first project to be managed by the World Monuments Fund’s Cambodian staff.
We next come to the stunning and significant Preah Khan which I find most intriguing and spell-binding – perhaps because one of the guides offers to give a private tour for $5 and points out views and details we never would have seen or appreciated, like the only carved image of Shiva holding a mirror among these temples, and an alcove where he tells us to beat our chest to hear the resonance. (This winds up being a common practice and I recommend it highly.)
Preah Khan (it means “Royal Sword”) was built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father on the site of his victory over the invading Chams in 1191.
The guard explains that the King built this temple with an aim of bringing Hindus and Buddhists together – a Buddhist sanctuary is offset by satellite Hindu temples. Half of the temple has Hindu carvings; the other half is Buddhist. (I wonder if this is why the temple was intentionally destroyed.)
What is so fascinating about these vast temple complexes is that they were not just for worship but would have been like palaces, castles or fortresses, housing hundreds, if not thousands of people. The Preah Khan complex combined the roles of city, temple and Buddhist university and would have had 97,840 attendants and servants, including 1000 dancers and 1000 teachers.
The stone – which mostly appears grey-black- becomes a blazing orange in the setting sun as we leave.
We cross a bridge lined with impressive military figures – several with the heads cut off, very possibly to sell on the black market.
As we cross, the sun, glowing a fiery red, offers a spectacular scene and our guide, Hang, stops the bus for us. We have just two minutes to capture the setting sun before it falls behind trees.
Between 800 and 1200 A.D., hundreds if not thousands of temples were built through the region. The oldest ones have all but disappeared due to weather, war, religious conflict and greed (stealing the art for sale). The ones we see today have had to be excavated from overgrowth and restored and represent the Golden Age of monument building. They have a certain common style – largely because of they were built in the same era, and many of the ones we see were built by King Jayavarman VII, which makes you wonder about how he had the resources and manpower. But the temples are remarkably individual for their art, theme and most especially how you experience of discovering them, so I come away with my favorites.
The most famous – for good reason – is Angkor Wat, a religious complex spanning more than 400 acres (five times the size of the Vatican) and widely recognized (confirmed by the Guinness World Records) as the largest religious structure or monument in the world. It was originally built by the Khmer Empire, commissioned by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple before being converted into a Buddhist site by the end of the century.
What strikes me, though, after seeing several of these, particularly those built by King Jayavarman VII and King Suryavarman II, is how similar to Peru and the temples built in the mid-1400s, most famously Machu Picchu, by the Incan emperor Pachacuti, known as the “Alexander the Great” of the Inca. It makes you think about the commonality of the human history.
Back at the Aviary Hotel, I get in a 20-minute swim in the rooftop pool before meeting our group for a 10-minute walk to Chamrey Tree, an elegant restaurant filled with gorgeous art, where we have a fantastic dinner.
After dinner, Calista and Jake go off to explore the night market, where Jake is game to try any unusual food. The next morning, he reports back of his experience eating insects (not sure if he also snacked on snake or just observed).
Day 4 is our departure day from Cambodia, but our last morning in Siem Reap starts at 4:30 am (we are given a bagged breakfast to take with us) so we can be at Angkor Wat for the sunrise (with thousands of others). The famous view would have the iconic temple back-lit and reflected in two large pools in front – alas the sunrise is not all that impressive and even coming so early, it is hard to get a good enough position for “the money shot,” but the experience is exciting enough.
The real thrill comes after, when we go to explore the temple. Most of the sunrise-goers leave, so we are able to visit with comparatively few people if we hustle – our guide urges us to get on line fast so we aren’t trapped in an hour-long wait to climb the steep staircase.
It took hundreds of thousands of workers just 37 years to build – (the 37 year deadline coincides with the belief in 37 heavens and 32 hells and there are 37 steps to enter. Like Machu Picchu, these temples were built by devotees as well as slaves. The stones came from a quarry 35 miles away (during COVID, they had time to study and discovered a canal, which they now believe was used to float the stones).
The temple would have been overgrown after centuries of abandonment; it was rediscovered in 1941 and the French helped restore the temple after a collapse in 1947. The World Monuments Fund has been working to preserve and restore these temples since 1991 and Angkor Wat was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
In the eyes of Khmer people, the most significant bas-relief in the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery portrays devas and asuras in a dramatic tug of war representing the eternal struggle of good and evil that churns amrit, the elixir of everlasting life, from the primordial ocean.
Heaven and Hell is depicted in an astonishing 68-meter-long wall carving: heaven above consists of two tiers while hell has 32 tiers. The inscriptions tell what kind of sin a person may have committed in life judging by the tier the sinner ended up on after death.
In the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas (Preah Poan) a few stand out dramatically from the grey statues for their gold robes. Sometime in the late/post-Angkor eras after the temple converted to Buddhism and eventually Theravada Buddhism, monks began collecting Buddha statues here.
From Angkor Wat, we bike to the Bayon Temple, with its enormous, fantastical enigmatic faces looking in every direction from every stone tower – 216 in all. It is not known who the face represents – we heard they represented Buddha before achieving Nirvana, or possibly the ruler who built the temple, Jayavarman VII.
Dating from the late 12th century (after Angkor Wat) and the last to be built in the Angkor, the Bayon is a Mahayana Buddhist temple built to pay homage to the king responsible for its construction, Jayavarman VII, and dedicated to his mother. We are told that 12,640 people would have lived within it, including 650 dancing girls.
We note the sign: “Beware of Monkey Attack” – sure enough, one of our group reports being “accosted” by a monkey.
With time growing short before some of our group has to get to the airport, our 12-mile bike ride is cut short (though some have biked along the top of the defensive walls of Angkor Thom). and we travel by bus to the last temple we get to visit Ta Prohm, famous for scenes from Angelina Jolie’s “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” film.
You really feel the age of the Ta Prohm temple with massive trees growing out of the stone and massive stone blocks in heaps.
Of the statues consecrated here in 1186 by Jayavarman VII here, most important was Prajnaparamita, the personification of the Perfection of Wisdom, a figure whom the king identified with his mother.
It’s fairly amazing how much we do on Day 4, our departure day when we fly to Hanoi to start the 12-day Vietnam Discovery Bicycle tour: three temples, a fabulous bike ride, lovely lunch, and since they have arranged a late check out (the flight several of us are on is at 7 pm), I even have time for a swim at the Aviary Hotel. But then I remind myself: we got up at 4:30 am!
Discovery Bicycle Tours organizes everything to make our biking as satisfying and our brief time here as productive and pleasant as possible – which means we are accompanied by a third guide/bike mechanic; the bike truck typically is nearby; and the bus that takes us to the start/finish, and various stops accompanies like a SAG vehicle, so we don’t have to bike with our big cameras but have access when we get to a site. The snack (and rest) stops are also really marvelous – typically with local foods – well planned and well timed.
In addition to the Discovery Bicycle Tours guide, we have two local guides here in Cambodia – one who likes to be called “Hang,” and the other who likes to be called “Ta” – both take care of us like mother hens, though I would have liked more background information about the different sites we visit. (An excellent source is “Angkor Temples in Cambodia” www.angkor-temples-in-cambodia.com.)
Discovery does a great job of providing advance materials, the day-by-day itinerary, packing lists; excellent bikes (e-bikes are available but not really necessary) and helmets, and even though we do ride together with guides at the front and back (and not a great idea to go off on our own), we have Ride GPS so we can follow the route.
Get the required visa and arrival document at Cambodia’s website (evisa.gov.kh), where the fee is $30 (if you use a visa service it costs something like $197), but give yourself enough time to get the confirmation.
Also, always double-check the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory and make sure no vaccinations are required or recommended.
It is also recommended to purchase travel insurance – especially for the medical and evacuation coverage. You can check a site like travelinsurance.com to get recommendations.
By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
Biking back roads of Siem Reap, Cambodia, passed farmland and fields, through small villages our Discovery Bicycle Tours group chances upon a wedding – but not just any wedding. As it happens, the uncle of the groom was the man who came to the rescue of a couple of our riders who had car trouble on the way from the airport. When Pam gets off her bike to take a photo of the wedding, he recognizes her and dashes out – even inviting our Discovery Bicycle Tours group inside the tent to participate in the ritual underway. The experience gives new meaning to the expression, “small world.” Biking has that effect of making the world smaller, more intimate, more connected.
You don’t go to Cambodia to bike, but biking adds a whole extra dimension – and perspective – to the travel experience, as I find on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ four-day Cambodia pre-tour add-on to the 12-day Vietnam bike tour that follows.
You bike in Cambodia to have such immersive experiences, to see scenes unobstructed and at a pace where you can really observe, even stop and get off the bike for a better, lingering view, to ride through villages, alongside homes and farms and fields that you would never see otherwise, and to have such serendipitous encounters as coming upon a wedding. Discovery Bicycle Tours’ four-day Cambodia is tailored, so we bike on country roads and back roads rather than through the intensely trafficked towns, and we are taken by bus to far-flung locations so we are not deprived of seeing the important highlights of Siem Reap.
Siem Reap has justifiably become a major attraction for visitors – as evidenced from many lovely hotels in the city, the bustling markets and shops and the modern new international airport that opened (for logistical planning purposes it is important to take note that it is more than one hour’s drive from downtown, not the 20 minutes of the old airport),
Indeed, Siem Reap is a long way to go: it’s taken me 32 hours, three planes and three, long immigration lines, though it could have been less had I flown east from JFK instead of west; also when you book your travel, be aware that you cross the Dateline so you lose a day; and be very aware of the online process to get the visa and arrival document).It’s too long a way to go to miss the extraordinary sites by obsessing over biking point-to-point exclusively.
I make my way to the Aviary Hotel in the heart of Siem Reap (Discovery has arranged an airport pick up but somehow I missed it), riding a shuttle from the airport with a local woman who now works in Sweden, home to visit her family. I have the good sense to ask her where to go for the best place to see the sunset. Phnom Bakheng, she replies without hesitation. Armed with this information, as soon as I pull up to the hotel where I am met by Discovery’s guide Calista Phillips (I actually had just traveled with her on Discovery’s Idaho Trails bike tour), our local guide, Hang, arranges for the hotel’s tuk tuk driver to take Calista and me at 4:30 pm. (Others in the tour had other plans.)
I organize my afternoon so that I recover my energy for our adventure, and resist my inclination to explore the area, taking advantage of the Aviary Hotel’s stunning garden pool (it also has a rooftop pool) at the Aviary, a delightful 43-room eco-friendly boutique hotel which is our home base for our four-day stay.
The 35-minute ride through the streets on the tuk-tuk – basically a carriage pulled by a guy on a motorcycle – to the Phnom Bakheng temple is extreme fun (what a ride!).
We immediately see why this is the most popular place for the sunset. Situated in the heart of Angkor Archaeological Park, the Hill of Phnom Bakheng offers gorgeous views of surrounding monuments and countryside. (Calista and I have purchased our three-day Angkor Archeological Park passes online, which the others will get their pass later; the 3-Day Pass is valid within 10 days of purchase; Discovery reimburses me the $62.)
Because of heavy seasonal rains causing damage, the eastern stairway is closed, so we hike for 15 minutes along a shady gentle sloping path which provides a panoramic route to reach the temple.
The first glimpse through the trees is of a temple, glowing orange in the setting sunlight. This is Bakset Chamkrong, built during the first decades of the 10th c at the foot of Phnom Bakheng, the only pyramid temple in the area that has survived. The notes describe a rare Sanskrit text engraved in the doorjamb about the mythic succession of Khmer kings. According to the myth, the dynasty descended from the union of the hermit Kamba, said to be “born from himself” and the celestial nymph mera. (Note: this architectural jewel can also be visited.)
Continuing on, we come to beautiful views over treetops in haze to the water.
And then we come to Phnom Bakheng, which is undergoing restoration– a cooperative project begun in 2004 of World Monuments Fund (WMF) and APSARA National Authority of the Kingdom of Cambodia.with funding from US Dept of State, US Ambassador fund for Cultural preservation and US Embassy Phnom Penh.
We climb the steep stone steps to the top of the temple, and I am struck at the people who have taken up their position facing away from the sunset. I ask why and a woman points down and to the side, and mutters, Angkor Wat. Indeed, this majestic structure –one of the largest religious sites in the world –emerges from the haze and rises above the tree tops. Oh. The hope (expectation) is that when the sun dips, it will turn the grey/black stone a firey orange like the temple we saw on our walk up.
I squeeze my way into one of the last positions that would give me that view and wait.
Alas, when it is clear that the weather will not cooperate (it is still a beautiful sight), I take another position to watch the sun, now a firey red ball, skirt alongside two of the temple’s stone towers, and when it finally dips into the clouds, go to study more intently the carvings on the temple.
Notably, many of the faces in the carvings have been mutilated – testifying to the religious struggles and ping-ponging of theocratic power, while the several monks here and people worshipping at the temple testify to the temple’s continuing role as a sacred place.
We are among the last to start down after the sun has dropped into the clouds, and by the time we get all the way down, it is actually dark – just adding to the atmosphere. Our ride back in the tuk tuk (the guide has waited for us and we cleverly have taken down his telephone number in case we have trouble finding him) is tremendous fun. We get to see how people gather together at night. (Graffiti spotted from the tuktuk: “Love Cambodia. Hate Fascism.”)
Our driver very kindly asks if we prefer to be dropped at the hotel or at Pub Street, about five blocks further than the hotel so we can get a sense of the colorful night life. We opt for the night market and immediately are engulfed in the neon lights and activity. We come upon crafts people and food sellers.
Our first full day in Cambodia is not spent biking but hiking. After a delightful breakfast at the hotel, the nine of us who are doing the Cambodia add-on (of the eventual 19 of us who will be doing the Vietnam tour), gather together and set out for Kulen National Park.
The six-mile hike through a jungle on the Langur Trail, named for leaf-eating monkeys that live here) brings us to historic places – where religious symbols have been placed in a stream, a temple, and, most interestingly, a rocky hideaway that was used for the Khmer Rouge.
We hike along the River of a 1000 Lingas – the phallic symbol of the Hindu god, Shiva – and rock carvings depicting Hindu deities made during the Khmer Empire.
The trail takes us to a fabulous 16th century Buddhist monastery and sacred site for pilgrims at Preah Ang Thom. There is such reverence that we need to take off our shoes before we climb the steps to where the massive Reclining Buddha is housed – in fact, we are told, it is Cambodia’s largest sandstone reclining Buddha. The pose, the colors are simply jaw-dropping magnificent.
Our hike continues into what seems to be a village and central marketplace for the national park, where we have lunch in a delightful restaurant. From there, we walk a path that takes us to a steep staircase (103 steps) to the scenic, 81-foot high Phnom Kulen Waterfalls.The area evokes the water cleansing of the Ganges, and was a holy place in 802 AD. We swim (fish nibble at our dead skin – actually a spa treatment), frolic under the forceful spray, before busing back an hour to Siem Reap.
Taking into account that we won’t be getting back for the rest of the group to experience the sunset at Phnom Bakheng which we raved about, our guide, Hang, stops at Pre Rup, for us to explore as the sun sets. This temple was built in honor of Lord Shiva in 961 AD by King Rajendravarman while Siem Reap was the capital of the kingdom of Koh Ker, before the capital was moved to Angkor. (It is not nearly as impressive, so do not miss an opportunity to see the sunset at Phnom Bakheng.)
We gather at 7:30 pm for dinner at Spoons Restaurant – a delightful restaurant which is also a social enterprise where young people from disadvantaged circumstances are trained for jobs in hospitality. The food, the presentation, the ambiance are superb.
The Aviary Hotel
Our base for our four-day visit to Siem Reap is the Aviary Hotel, a 43-room eco-friendly boutique hotel that offers a luxurious, comfortable, modern environment with delightful Cambodian flourishes celebrating the Kingdom’s birdlife and filled with locally commissioned art. The Aviary’s turquoise pool has a garden-like setting curtained by vines and flowers that drape over the balconies above and comfortable lounge chairs, from which you can order drinks and food – a truly relaxing sanctuary. A rooftop pool seems as big as an Olympic pool and is particularly delightful at the end of the day and into the evening. Each morning we enjoy a marvelous buffet breakfast. The hotel also offers its own café. (Aviary Hotel, #09, Tep Vong Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia, +855 12 241 602, reservation@theaviaryhotel.com)
With Labor Day in the rear view window, it’s time to look forward to a fall getaway. But if leaf-peeping is a priority, timing and advance planning are critical considering the relatively short time of peak color in any particular destination.
New York State has one of the longest and most colorful foliage seasons in the country. The change in color from the bright greens of summer to the brilliant hues of fall historically begins high in the Adirondack and Catskill mountains in early September and spreads out and down across the hills and valleys of the state, ending with peak foliage on Long Island and in New York City in mid-November. It takes about two weeks for the color to complete its cycle in any area, with peak brilliance lasting three to four days in any one spot.
To help travelers plan a fall getaway, the state’s tourism office, I LOVE NY, provides weekly fall foliage reports beginning September 12, with updates issued every Wednesday throughout the season. The interactive foliage map on the I LOVE NY website tracks weekly changes and progression and offers recommended viewing locations, examples of peak foliage in designated areas. You can also find information about popular local and regional attractions and activities across the state from apple and pumpkin picking to haunted Halloween activities, hiking, craft beverage trails and Path Through History Weekend special events at www.iloveny.com/fall. (An excellent roundup is at: Fall Foliage: When and Where to Go in New York State, www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/fall/foliage-report.)
Reports and the interactive foliage map are available at www.iloveny.com/foliage, or toll-free at 800-CALL-NYS (800-225-5697).
For more information on tourism in New York or to plan a New York State getaway, visit www.iloveny.com.
Leaf-peeping in the Finger Lakes
The Lake House on Canandaigua in the Finger Lakes is an ideal home base for a fall getaway.
A great place to experience vibrant foliage, crisp air and rolling vineyards is the Finger Lakes. Nestled on the shore of Canandaigua Lake, The Lake House on Canandaigua is the ideal home base for a fall getaway. From peak grape harvest season to pumpkin picking, cider tasting and breathtaking lake views, the resort offers a memorable autumn escape.
Take a scenic foliage cruise; hike the trails at Grimes Glen Park offers trails lined with waterfalls and forests ablaze in fall hues, perfect for a peaceful autumn hike; explore the region’s farms, wineries and breweries that showcase the season’s bounty, and savor autumn-inspired dishes and local flavors at the resort’s Rose Tavern, Sand Bar and Library Bar. In the evening, enjoy an evening under the stars with complimentary s’mores beside a fire pit
At the resort’s Willowbrook Spa, relax in the spa garden surrounded by native plants in peak autumn color, enjoy cozy barrel saunas overlooking the brook and indulge in restorative treatments blending herbal remedies with modern wellness techniques.
The Lake House, 770 S. Main St., Canandaigua, NY 14424 585-394-7800, 800-228-2801, lakehousecanandaigua.com
Nature as Therapy in the Adirondacks
Lake Placid in the Adirondacks boasts one of the longest fall foliage seasons in the country, thanks to its diverse elevations and microclimates. (Aim for the days that see dips into the mid-30s to low-40s – a sweet spot for kickstarting that vibrant color change.)
Explore more than 2,000 miles of nearby hiking trails, including: High Falls Gorge, dubbed the Adirondacks’ most breathtaking 30-minute walk; Whiteface Landing for tranquil lake views; Catamount Mountain, featuring twin summits and panoramic foliage vistas; and Whiteface Mountain, with multiple trailheads designed for ambitious hikers. (Use the Adirondack Fall Foliage Meter for up-to-the-minute reports on where leaves are prettiest—this insider resource helps you target the exact best spots each day.)
There’s so much to do in fall in and around Lake Placid:
For the ultimate view, take the elevator to the top of the 120-meter ski jump (26 stories) at the Olympic Jumping Complex for athlete-level panoramic views without any hiking.
Bike the new Adirondack Rail Trail (25 miles open, bike rentals in Lake Placid) through golden tamarack groves and brewery stops; climb the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge‘s 23 restored towers for panoramic treetop views; or ride the 1.4-mile Mt. Van Hoevenberg Cliffside Coaster (America’s longest alpine coaster) parallel to the historic Olympic bobsled track.
Festival calendar: Time your visit for the Flaming Leaves Festival (Oct. 11-12) combining ski jumping competitions with peak foliage, or the Adirondack Harvest Festival (Sept. 20) celebrating local agriculture with food trucks, live music, and farm activities.
Enjoy a fall getaway at the Whiteface Lodge in the Adirondacks.
Whiteface Lodge, a MICHELIN One Key and AAA Four-Diamond-rated all-suite resort tucked into the woodlands of Lake Placid, combines rustic luxury with the restorative rhythms of the outdoors. Think: forest bathing beneath golden canopies, stone massages inspired by nearby rivers, and private lean-tos warmed by firelight.
Named a Top 100 Spa by Spas of America, The Spa at Whiteface Lodge translates the region’s natural serenity into sensory treatments such as Ausable River Stone Massage, which uses heated basalt stones and Swedish techniques to melt away tension, named after the nearby Ausable River; and the Great Outdoors Facial, which harnesses antioxidants and botanical extracts to rejuvenate skin exposed to the elements.
Every Whiteface Lodge suite includes a cast-iron gas fireplace, a private balcony, and warm homemade cookies at turndown. Refuel at the rustic-elegant KANU restaurant or sip bourbon flights at Peak 47 before taking in a complimentary movie at the 56-seat in-house theater or a dip in the indoor-outdoor heated pool.
Whiteface Lodge’s Stay More, Play More package includes a $150 resort credit toward spa services and dining when travelers stay 3+ nights (with the credit increasing at the five night mark).
Whiteface Lodge, 7 Whiteface Inn Lane, Lake Placid, NY 12946, 518-523-0505, www.thewhitefacelodge.com
Another ideal place to make your Lake Placid home base is High Peaks Resort. Its location on Mirror Lake provides walking access to family-friendly nature trails (Cobble Hill, Peninsula) that locals use to avoid crowds at higher elevations. High Peaks Resort offers a Mountains & Maple Package (from $172.89) that includes authentic maple syrup, maple cotton candy, maple popcorn, and two resort mugs. (High Peaks Resort, 2384 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, NY 12946, 800-755-5598, www.highpeaksresort.com)
Teatown Lake Reservation → Thompson’s Cider Mill (10 min. walk): Vistas of the Hudson’s fall reflections lead you to freshly pressed cider or a micro-brew.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery → Bridge View Tavern (15 min. walk/5 min. drive): A family-owned and operated tavern with views of the Hudson River and Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
Tarrytown Lakes Park → Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. (5 min. drive): The area’s largest craft brewery, producing over 28,000 barrels of beer annually.
Croton Gorge Park→ Croton Tapsmith (4 min. drive): This spot features their famous “La Bella Sophia” pizza from their wood-fired pizza oven.
Untermyer Gardens → Yonkers Brewing Company (10 min. drive): Established in 2013, this spot is known for its rich, original drafts and many activities offered on-site.
Blue Mountain Park → River Outpost Brewing Co. (6 min. drive): Rugged foliage trails wind into a cozy taproom—great for couples or solo adventurers.
Ossining Recreation & Parks → Sing Sing Kill Brewery (10 min. walk/3 min. drive): A tranquil gorge walk wraps up with a sustainable, community-crafted draft.
Graham Hills Park → Soul Brewing Company (30 min. walk/4 min. drive): Family-friendly trails segue into Soul’s warm microbrew environment—ideal for all ages.
Cranberry Lake → Wolf & Warrior (12 min drive): A nature escape in White Plains that ends with stylish sips in town.
The Westchester Craft Beverage Trail is a free, mobile, web-based passport that will lead you to great experiences and delicious drinks as well as some appealing special offers. Sign up at the website- there’s no cost and no app to download. Earn points when you check in at participating merchants, and use them to claim a special reward. More information: https://www.visitwestchesterny.com/things-to-do/dining/craft-beverages/trail/
Sign Up for Vermont’s Weekly Fall Foliage Report
Spacious Skies Campgrounds provide a great home base to experience Maine’s fall foliage.
Vermont is world renowned for its fall foliage. Vermont fall colors usually start in early to mid-September in the higher elevations and in the northern part of the state, moving into the valleys and southern parts of Vermont as September turns to October. The Vermont Tourism foliage report tracks the progression and provides itineraries, events, attractions, and more ways to experience the season. (Subscribe: https://vermontvacation.com/vermont-seasons/fall/fall-foliage-report/)
Plan a scenic drive along a river to see the foliage reflecting off the water and drive over a mountain pass connecting historic downtowns. Scenic Vermont Byways and toll roads open to expansive mountain vistas painted in fall colors. Apple orchards, pumpkin picking, scenic chairlift rides, corn mazes, farm or creemee stands, and historic downtowns round out a day touring around the Green Mountains. (https://vermontvacation.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas-itineraries/scenic-drives/)
Make Topnotch Resort, Stowe, Your Base
Make your leaf-peeping a real getaway with a stay at Topnotch Resort, in Stowe, Vermont for the ultimate foliage experience, the Stowe-liage Foliage Package.
Make your leaf-peeping a real getaway with a stay at Topnotch Resort, in Stowe, for the ultimate foliage experience: the Stowe-liage Foliage Package (from $279) includes a $100 nightly resort credit, essentially paying for your meals while enjoying Mt. Mansfield views from the heated outdoor pool and jacuzzi. (Travel dates through Sept. 30 and Oct. 14-Nov. 30).
Other tips to enhance your getaway: Book spa treatments during peak afternoon hours when trails are most crowded. Play tennis or pickleball on Topnotch’s outdoor courts which affords a stunning fall foliage backdrop. Take the flat, paved 5.3-mile Stowe Recreation Path from behind Topnotch for unobstructed mountain views without traffic. Festival timing: Plan a stay around the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival (Oct. 8-10) for peak color plus local artisans, or catch the quirky Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival (Sept. 26) for family fun. Book midweek for best rates and fewer tourists on popular activities like guided brewery tours and scenic boat charters.
Spacious Skies Campgrounds Provide Home Base for Exploring Fall Festivals Throughout the East
Spacious Skies Campgrounds has 15 locations along a Fall Color Trail, with many festivals timed for peak foliage.
BERNARDSVILLE, N.J. – With 15 locations throughout the East, Spacious Skies Campgrounds are located within an easy drive of an array of fall festivals, from celebrations of fall harvest to books, films, arts, brews and history.
Spacious Skies Minute Man, Littleton, Mass.:Salem Haunted Happenings Festival, Oct. 1-31. This annual festival takes place in New England’s most notorious witch-centric location, Salem, Mass. Included are a grand parade, artists, costume balls, haunted houses, live music and theatrical presentations.
Spacious Skies Country Oaks, Dorothy, NJ: Smithville Oktoberfest, Oct. 4-5. The historic town of Smithville stages a two-day Oktoberfest featuring crafters, food, music and kids’ activities like carousel rides.
Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views, Luray, Va.: Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, Oct. 25. Marking its 52nd anniversary this year, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival features musicians, moonshiners, craftspeople, cooks, motorheads, mule jumpers, horse pullers, coon dog racers, antique tractor buffs and old-time gamers for a celebration of the rich heritage and traditions of the region.
Spacious Skies Savannah Oaks, Savannah, GA:Savannah Film Festival, Oct. 25 – Nov. 1. Marking its 25th year, this festival at the Savannah College of Art and Design attracts 50,000 to see the work of emerging student filmmakers while well-known directors, actors and producers come to accept awards and discuss their craft.
Many of the Spacious Skies Campgrounds offer alternative accommodations for travelers who don’t own RVs, including cabins, yurts, tent sites and at select locations, retro trailers.Spacious Skies has also partnered with RV Share so would-be campers and glampers can rent RVs in each location or rent RVs that they can drive from place to place.
Travelers who are members of the Spacious Skies Loyalty Program – called Cosmic Campers – receive a 12 percent discount on all RV site, cabin and glamping reservations, including holidays. The annual fee to join the program is $31.90, and enrollment is quick and convenient online.
Forget the summer gridlock. The real story of America’s national parks is told in September and October, during the “secret season.” This is when the crowds disappear, the weather is perfect and the landscapes transform. The post-Labor Day slump is a traveler’s dream. With schools back in session, parks like Zion, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are no longer at peak capacity. This means a more intimate and enjoyable experience. The intense summer heat subsides, making hiking and outdoor activities not just possible, but genuinely pleasant. Think crisp, cool air and golden sunshine. Wildlife, in general, is more active in the cooler temperatures, providing unparalleled viewing opportunities. Here are a handful of great national park vacation ideas.
Saddle and Paddle Yellowstone: Flying Pig Adventures’ three-night Yellowstone tour gives guests the opportunity to experience the park like never before. The thrill of witnessing one of nature’s most iconic environments, tackling rough terrain on horseback, and battling class III rapids in a raft cannot be found anywhere else. From fly fishing to horseback rides and Yellowstone whitewater, guests will be talking about this unique experience for years to come.
Cycle Glacier National Park: The Big Sky meets six days of big smiles on Escape Adventures’ epic Going-to-the-Sun Road bike trip in Glacier National Park. Based in Montana’s 1,583-square-mile Glacier National Park, with its 375 historic properties and six historic landmarks, riders will cycle into some of North America’s most breathtaking landscapes, including Going-to-the-Sun Road. At each stop, each slow pass, guests will learn a little more about the ”Crown of the Continent” ecosystem.
Alaska Fjord Explorer: On Adventure Life’s Kenai Explorer tour, spend seven days amid the breathtaking landscape and wildlife of Kenai Fjords National Park and Seward, Alaska. Enjoy nature walks and paddling from a beachfront lodge with glacier views, keeping an eye out for wildlife like whales, Steller sea lions, otters, puffins and more, then visit the coastal town of Seward and go dogsledding or step on nearby Exit Glacier. Finish with an Alaska Rail ride to Anchorage.
Wyoming Cowboy Retreat: At Ranchlands’ 80,000-acre Paintrock Canyon Ranch, guests will immerse themselves in ranch life, explore the surrounding areas on horseback, fly fish, hike and experience the unique landscape of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. Accommodations are designed for guests to be as close to nature as possible, but with all the comforts of home. Large, safari-style tents are stylishly furnished with full-sized beds, bedside tables, dressers and chairs. Meals are prepared by a private chef and incorporate Ranchlands’ beef, local produce and dairy whenever possible. The ranch makes a great basecamp for a Yellowstone National Park adventure.
Bryce & Zion by MTB: Soaring red spires and ancient citadels of rich Navajo sandstone give way to haunting hoodoos and curving rock arches – a geologist’s dream and a mountain biker’s paradise. The rides on this six-day Escape Adventures tour offer swift lines that wind through deep alpine meadows and aspen forests only to spill out onto wide mesas and buttes. The world-famous trails of Red Canyon’s Thunder Mountain, Cassidy and Casto Canyon symbolize but a few of this tour’s many highlights.
Grand Teton Glamping: Fireside Resort offers luxuriously outfitted tiny house rental units designed by Wheelhaus a short distance from Grand Teton National Park, making it the perfect basecamp for summer adventures. Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting, enjoy beautiful scenery and wildlife while hiking through the Tetons or revel in the wonder of Yellowstone National Park’s geothermal features.
Arizona Ranch Getaway: Step back in time at White Stallion Ranch, outside Tucson, Arizona, on the edge of Saguaro National Park. Originally built in the 1900s as a cattle ranch, the True family has been welcoming guests to White Stallion for 60 years. While there, enjoy horseback riding, hiking, fat-tire biking, shooting, archery, a weekly rodeo, charming accommodations, Southwestern dining and more with the towering cactuses of the Sonoran Desert as the backdrop.
Colorado National Parks Road Trip: AdventureGenie is the ultimate co-pilot for planning a perfect road trip to Colorado national parks. As the world’s first AI-powered, end-to-end road trip planner, AdventureGenie makes it easier and more exciting than ever to discover the Centennial State. Colorado is more than just the Rocky Mountains – the state is richly diverse with deep canyons, rolling sand dunes, glistening rivers and expansive rolling plains. From accessible trails to hikes of various distances and difficulties and amazing scenic drives, these five Colorado national parks are full of geographical marvels and prehistoric wonders.
Big Sky Luxury Adventure: In Big Sky, Montana, The Wilson Hotel serves as a home base for adventure year-round. In fall, golden aspens and cottonwoods light up the mountainsides and river bottoms, and there are opportunities to hike, bike, fish or watch for wildlife in the forestlands near town and Yellowstone National Park. At the end of the day, The Wilson offers accommodations that blend modern comfort with Montana style just steps from dining at Block 3 Kitchen & Bar and more in Big Sky Town Center.
E-Bike Tour of Canyonlands: Utah’s 100-mile White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park comes on like a natural rollercoaster, looping in and out of a multicolored spires, arches, buttes and mesas carved by the Green and Colorado Rivers. A primitive trail framed by blooming cactuses below and snowcapped mountains above, the White Rim Trail loops around and below the Island in the Sky mesa and provides expansive views of the surrounding area. Guests will spend the majority of this four-day mountain biking and camping tour riding the famous off-road route, while detouring to admire secret passages, hidden slot canyons, natural rock arches and ancient Puebloan ruins.
Utah Hut-to-Hut Adventure: Discover the Aquarius Trail Hut System, an unparalleled e-bike adventure in Utah’s stunning color country. This unique trail stretches from Brian Head Peak through picturesque locations like Panguitch, Bryce and Escalante. Along the way, modern huts provide essential amenities, including solar-powered kitchens, comfortable sleeping arrangements and bike repair tools, ensuring a perfect blend of rugged exploration and convenient comfort.
Grand Canyon’s North Rim: Escape Adventures invites adventurers and families to discover the cool, high-altitude sanctuary of the Grand Canyon’s North Rim on an unforgettable five-day mountain biking and camping expedition. Revered by hikers and cyclists for its breathtaking vistas and gently rolling, lung-expanding terrain, the North Rim offers a unique and less-crowded perspective of this natural wonder.
A travel adventure is the ideal time to shop for wardrobe items, accessories, equipment, and especially the gear to enhance the experience – whether for some sport, activity, climate, wellness, some occasion or packability. These specialized items also make for fabulous gifts that will really be appreciated. Here are some of the items that have come to our notice:
Knog Bilby 400 Headlamp
Knog Bilby 400 Headlamp ($71.99) has been designed for serious outdoor adventure and is powerfully bright, tough, and intuitive. Featuring a powerful beam that reaches up to 100 meters and a boost mode for when you really need to light things up.
Timberland Eyewear TB00035:These new bio-injected, full-rim sunglasses from Timberland feature a stylish rectangular shape and a new innovative design. With Timberland accents and available polarized lenses, the new TB00035 frame is made of 80% bio-based materials.
Adidas SP0110 Sunglasses
Adidas SP0110 Sunglasses: Removable side shields boost sun protection from every angle, while a smart ventilation system along the front and temples keeps airflow steady and vision clear, even at peak effort. Adjustable temples and nose pads provide a personalized fit, and grippy tips ensure all-day comfort.
Adidas’ new ANEMOS sunglasses, weighing just 23 grams, are ultra-light while providing stability and clarity. Bold temples and rubberized tips ensure a secure fit while a 9-hole ventilation system prevents fogging.
Adidas’ all-new DUNAMIS EVO is engineered for superior stability and comfort. This updated design features a sleek curved mask and an internal top bar for a more secure fit, while adjustable nose pads and grippy temple tips ensure all-day hold on any terrain. The DUNAMIS EVO is now also available in a smaller size, offering the same high-performance design tailored for narrower faces.
Le Bent Nuyarn Ultralight Hoodie
Le Bent Nuyarn Ultralight Hoodie – Men’s and Women’s ($160): The Feathertop Ultralight Hooded Long Sleeve Tee is made for year round comfort. Le Bent partnered with Nuyarn® to create best-in-class breathability and performance in a new ultra lightweight 125gm evolved Signature Merino Blend that sees raw bamboo combined with twist free, technically spun merino wool.
Nuyarn Merino Sprint Tee by Artilect – Women’s Shortsleeve & Men’s Shortsleeve ($90): Superior 115GSM Nuyarn merino fabric offers extra loft. 5x faster drying. Remarkable long-term durability. Nuyarn Speed-Lite is spun in a bluesign accredited facility. Superfine 18 micron non-mulesed Australian merino wool for maximum softness and wearability. No chafe flatlock seams. Incredible stretch and recovery.
Mission Workshop Stahl LT Lightweight Short ($178): Stahl LT shorts are made in NYC from a lightweight fabric offering 4-way stretch, water repellency, and moisture-wicking properties. This fabric stands up to the abrasion, sweat and mud that comes with vigorous hours on the trails.
FORLOH Insect Shield® SolAir Hooded Long Sleeve ShirtWomen’s and Men’s ($109): 100% USA sourced and made, the SolAir Hoodie is a warm-weather shirt that features Insect Shield® long-lasting protection against mosquitoes and ticks without any odor, UPF 50+ sun protection and FORLOH’s brrr® Pro cooling technology to cool the skin.
Outdoor Vitals Dragonwool Hoodie ($95): Nuyarn DragonWool combines patented no-spin merino wool and a jersey-face polyester to create the most advanced performance fabric to be used in a hoodie baselayer. Quick drying, odor resistant and breathable, 1/3 length zipper, thumbholes, drop back to protect when sitting, UPF 50+. Dries 4x faster than merino wool with the synergistic weave of DragonWool combining jersey-face polyester with patented merino wool. 200 GSM.
Nocs Provisions Zero Tube
Nocs Provisions Zero Tube($175) is the smallest, lightest and most durable way to see more without weighing him down. Whether hiking, fishing or just taking in the view, this compact powerhouse delivers crisp, clear optics with ED glass, fully multi-coated lenses and BaK4 prisms. Built to handle anything, it’s waterproof (IPX7), fog-proof, and impact-resistant.
Helinox Speed Stool ($94.95):With a packed weight of only one pound, the Speed Stool is made to be taken everywhere, whether backpacking, birding, or hiking. Highlights: No assembly required, sturdy, and super compact.
Helinox Chair Zero ($139.95): Weighing just 1lb 1 oz, the Chair Zero is the lightest camping chair available. The award-winning design delivers strength, comfort, and support when the weight of your pack is everything,
Mission Workshop Hauser Hydration Pack ($270): A complete weatherproof hydration pack designed to go anywhere in all conditions keeping your gear secure and dry. The hydration pack has a total of four weatherproof exterior pockets to provide easy access to gear, and the included tool-roll is fully removable and organizes all of the essentials. A series of external straps can be deployed to hold gear. Also available in size 14L.
tiibo Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle17oz and 23oz ($34.95+): Lightweight, double-wall vacuum stainless steel insulation keeps drinks cold or hot for hours and fits most universal bottle cages and cup holders. Food-grade 304 stainless steel insulated bottle, BPA-free polypropylene (food-grade plastic) cap, food-grade silicon nozzle and tube.
‘Eco-Minded Goods’
Coalatree is a camping brand with an eco-conscious focus and everything from UV-protected clothes to blankets that turn into jackets. The company’s slogan is “Eco-Minded Goods”
Baseline Midlayer from Coalatree ($109): Enjoy hiking and exploring the great outdoors as temperatures start to drop with Coalatree’s soft fleece jacket that’s great for layering.Used coffee grounds are mixed and melted with recycled plastic bottles to create the fibers for its innovative baseline midlayer.Unlike other fleece garments, the baseline does not shed microplastics when washed. This eco-friendly layer saves millions of tiny plastics from contaminating our ecosystems.
Coalatree Trailhead Pants
Coalatree’s Trailhead Pants ($99) are waterproof, tear-resistant, antimicrobial and stretchy. Coalatree strives to use sustainable materials throughout the production process, including recycled coffee grounds. They come in seven colors and two pant widths (unisex + size inclusive). Coalatree sells over 12,000 pairs of trailhead pants a year.
Coalatree’s Puffy Kachula Adventure Blanket ($119): Bring this functional, puffy blanket with you on your next adventure. A blanket, a pillow, a cold weather poncho, a sleep sack, and more. It’s the most snuggle-soft and versatile puffy blanket out there. Surplus fabric from the Kachula blankets are repurposed into warm, waterproof blankets, and through that collaboration, Coalatree has distributed hundreds of blankets to the needy.
Travel Clothes for Men That Feel as Good as They Look
Whether you’re catching a flight or hitting the road, travel days call for outfits that blend comfort with functionality.
GTFO Travel Pant
NEW! GTFO Travel Pant($139): One pant. Any destination. The GTFO Travel Pant packs down to nothing, wears easy, and moves fast. Ultra-light, military-grade stretch nylon resists abrasion, repels water, and dries in a flash. Wrinkle-Free Performance – Body-heat activated, so you stay sharp on the move. Versatile Wear – dresses up or down—go from the airport to a night out with ease. Frustration-Free Fit – Pre-shrunk and built for all-day comfort. And when the heat turns up, GTFO Short delivers the same performance in a cut built for warmer days.
Outset Shorts by NOMATIC ($99.99) have comfort, stretch and function all in one – great on the long road trip drive. They are designed for all-day movement and versatility, using a durable, warp-knit polyester that stretches without relying on spandex or elastic—meaning long-term shape retention and no sagging. The fabric is breathable, wrinkle-resistant, and built with a 4-way stretch fabric. Whether you’re exploring the city or on the move outdoors, these shorts are built to perform and stay sharp. Key features include:Stretch-Tech waistband; 4-Way Stretch; Wrinkle-Resistant; No-Spill Pocket; Hidden side Zippered Pocket; “Water/ Stain-Resistant; Available in 7” and 9”
Cascade Sandal by Protalus ($135, available on Amazon): Whether you are running to your gate or getting a few extra steps in before your 6+ hour flights, the Cascade sandals provide proper whole-body alignment with its patented insole technology. Featuring a deep heel cup, the Cascade Sandal offers exceptional shock absorption and support for optimal alignment, ensuring reliable pain relief with every step. This sandal is a versatile companion for travel, beach time, and everyday excursions, available in black, brown, silver, and taupe. With sizes for men and women, the footwear and insoles are integrated for maximum comfort, cushioning, and stability.
Fashion that Promotes Wellness
Forme is a human performance company that designs FDA-registered posture-correcting wearables to improve alignment, performance, and recovery. Forme’s wire- and sensor-free wearables utilize a patented construction of lightweight, multidirectional tensile materials to engage muscle memory for biofeedback and instant proprioception. The patented technology enables the body to relearn its optimal spatial alignment, helping to keep your back straight, reduce pain and stiffness, and improve your physical function. After Taylor Swift was seen wearing Forme’s Power Bra, sales jumped 400%, to over 500,000 customers. This huge milestone is why Forme has ranked in the top 5% of Inc.’s Fastest Growing Companies in America this year.
The latest innovation from Forme, is the Power+ Bra, a game-changer in sports bras designed not just for support, but for whole-body alignment. Building on the success of the original Power Bra, the Power+ Bra features enhanced structure, improved support zones, and upgraded posture-correcting technology to deliver even more powerful performance and recovery benefits.
Power+ Bra by Forme
*NEW* Power+ Bra by Forme® ($208) was designed with comfort in mind. Powered by Forme’s patented posture-correcting technology, the Power+ Bra features the same flattering silhouette you love, now with awider underarm opening to allow more freedom and flexibility, and discreet removable paddingfor all-day support and no-show confidence. Forme’s wire- and sensor-free wearables utilize a patented construction of lightweight tension panels to to help correct posture. The patented technology helps you keep your back straight, reduce pain and stiffness, and improve your physical function. Available in Chocolat in sizes XS to 3X
“It’s fashionable, the long-line and wide strap style is very flattering even for those of us with heavier arms,and the back mesh panels are structured ina way that it actually does make you stand up straight when wearing it,” our reviewer notes.
Forme’s Power Bra ($178): Try out the iconic posture correcting sports bra Taylor Swiftwore while rehearsing for the Eras Tour! Embedded with posture correcting wearable technology, the six varied tension fabrics and eight double-fabric panels help with both fashion and function. Forme’s posture bra has patented technology inside that transforms and trains your body to develop muscle memorythat allows you to walk, sit, and stand with great posture effortlessly.
In addition to the new Power+ Bra, Forme has also launched Revive Bra. With a higher neckline than the Power Bra, it offers the strongest upper body support and is recommended among their three styles for musculoskeletal health benefits and posture related disorders.
Sculpt+ Legging ($118) is an FDA-registered posture corrector designed to support your lower back, core, and glutes throughout your day. Engineered with a patented multi-panel, high-rise waistband, it activates muscle memory in key areas to promote alignment, enhance stability, and relieve pain. Designed for movement, it delivers the support athletes need and the comfort you want—making it a true core essential for training, travel, and recovery. (Available in multiple colors and sizes XS to XXL)
Arch Booster Sock ($29) is a game-changing performance sock designed to support alignment, relieve pain, and keep you comfortably on your feet all day long. Engineered with patent-pending biofeedback technology, it gently trains your foot muscles to support a stronger arch, better balance, and smoother movement, making it a must for anyone dealing with flat feet, heel pain, or everyday soreness. (Available in Black Multi and White Multi in sizes XXS to L)
Together, the products make Forme a one-stop shop for athletic wear that actively improves alignment, posture, and overall wellness.
Forme Boost Shorts
Forme®’s new Boost Shorts ($138) combines the best of their Ergo and Sculpt Shorts withtwo layers of supportive powermesh, a high waistband, and side pockets. It’s designed to improve pelvic tilt, hip alignment and core stability. The high waistband gives gentle compression to shape your midsection and support your glutes, spine, and core all day. Whether you’re working out or on the go, the Boost Short keeps your posture in check and your core engaged.
Ace Tee by Forme ($168) is designed with Forme®’s patented posture correction technology and has a moisture-wicking outer layer and a FormeTech® inner layer designed for alignment correction, whether you’re sitting or standing. Using muscle memory engagement and proprioception training technology, Forme keeps your shoulders back and down. This helps train your body to stay in alignment. When you put the Ace Tee on, the fused section remains tight in order to keep your shoulders pulled back to their natural position, teaching your body and diaphragm to open.
For the Road Warrior
M. Aviann Madrid Driver Moccasins are stylish shoes that keep you looking great whether you’re hopping out for scenic photos or dining at a roadside gem. View the entire collection at M.Aviann – Elegant Handcrafted Shoes for Women.
Keep-Going First Aid Kits
KEEP>GOING Adult First Aid Kit is a must-have a great idea for any road trip, ensuring you’re ready for life’s little mishaps, from minor burns to unexpected scrapes. Packed with 130 essential first aid suppliesin a lightweight, TSA-approved case, this kit is built for travel, offering water- and stain-resistant durability that fits seamlessly into any glove compartment or backpack. Available in six stylish designs, including Star-Spangled, The Traveler, and Jet Black, it’s a road trip essential that keeps you moving no matter what. Plus, There’s also a version for kids, so the whole family can stay safe on the journey. Browse the collection at KEEP>GOING First Aid. (https://www.keepgoingfirstaid.com/ and on Amazon.com).
KeaBabies Baby Travel Set
KeaBabies Baby Travel Set ($90.88)is the ultimate travel trio so parents can conquer road trips with ease. The Baby Wrap Carrier keeps little ones snug and secure, allowing parents to move freely while ensuring baby feels comforted and connected. The Diaper Bag is a game-changer, designed with spacious compartments to keep everything organized so you never have to dig for essentials. When it’s time for a quick change, the Diaper Changing Pad provides a clean, hassle-free surface wherever you are—because blowouts don’t wait for convenient locations. Stylish, durable, and built for busy parents, this set ensures that traveling with your baby is stress-free and full of memories, not messes. (Visit Baby Travel Set [Wrap Carrier + Diaper Bag+ Diaper Changing Pad] – KeaBabies)
Handzies Soap + Water Wipes offer a natural, refreshing clean—no sink required. Individually packaged for easy grab-and-go convenience, these wipes are perfect for keeping hands fresh during long drives, rest-stop meals, and outdoor adventures. Made with pure castile soap, water, and essential oils, they skip the harsh chemicals—no alcohol, BZK, triclosan, artificial perfumes, or dyes—so your family stays clean without irritation. Toss them in your glove compartment, travel bag, or backseat organizer for a road trip essential that keeps every hand fresh and happy. Find Handzies at http://handzies.com/ and on Amazon.com.
GillyGro BasicBackpack ($139, available atAmazon, Target, Walmart,): If you’re camping with little ones, this 5-in-1 backpack will come in handy! It offers a portable napping area, an activity mat for playtime and ample storage space for everything. Backpacks come with a booster for kids with a built-in 5-point seat harness, diaper changing station, insulated bottle pockets, and all the pockets you can imagine for easy access. Other features: itomes in unisex colors; carries a Children’s Product Safety Certificate for the Backpack and was a Parent Picks Award 2025 Winner.
