Travel and live forever on $20 a day

Would you like to camp, travel and live
anywhere in the United States you want for $20 a day?

 

My wife and I have been doing just that for years now so I decided to write a book so others could see how we do it. The book entitled Vanabode - how to happily camp, travel and live forever on $20 a day has been a runaway success! Oh and you don't need your current job to do it either. Vanabode shows you how to earn money from wherever you choose to live from hundreds of jobs available only to campers.

Learn the secrets of an adventurous, romantic life,
filled with adventure and travel

 

Imagine what you would do and where you would go if I PROMISED to show you how to live a complete life with all your needs met for $20 a day? Would you head straight for a national park like Yellowstone or Glacier and hike and photograph wildlife for a month? Would you just take it easy on the fresh powder sands of Florida's pristine beach's sipping cold refreshing Mojito's? Would you hit the tables in Vegas for some exciting poker or slots followed by a mind blowing world class show? Would you dine out every night for a week on the pier in San Francisco? Would you go hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, boating, surfing, skiing, or otherwise get off the grid and out of the grind for a month or two at a time?
If you are hurting financially I can show you how to get out of debt. If you are bored I can show you how to get the time to do ANYTHING you want. If you hate your job I can show you how you can quit your job and make money working in some of the most exciting places in the United States like national parks and state recreational areas. If your life sucks and you want some adventure, romance and serious fun, I can show you how to get more NOW! I promise to give you a complete plan on how to do it. I will show every single person how to get out of their current situation and on the road to adventure by using the strategies and equipment my wife and I have used since we were married 15+ years ago.

Discover how to travel anywhere for as long as you like

First, PLEASE bookmark this page using this button so you can find this site again later. You may not have the time to read it all right now. Or, memorize the new term I coined and trademarked to explain how I do it - Vanabode. Then Google "Vanabode" later when you're ready to learn more. I have perfected the road trip by making it possible to do it forever cheaply.

When you Vanabode the places you can visit and stay for weeks at a time will astonish you. Vanaboding makes it possible to afford both the time and the money to camp and explore for months at a time. This makes a huge difference to your life and to the level of experience you have. Image above is of us at Fish River Canyon by © Mikle15 - Dreamstime.com

Who else wants to get away from it all for a year or two?

My friends and family have asked us for over 10 years now "How do you guys get to travel so much when you are only 38 years old? How do you pay for it when you don't have jobs or savings? Can you help us do it too?" The answer is YES! Honestly, I would have done it sooner but it was hard for me to get motivated to write a 110+ page book and stuff it full of pictures, when we were out surfing Malibu Beach one week and biking San Francisco or catching a world class show in Las Vegas the next.

Basically what it boils down to is this: I will show you how you can have the most incredible journey ever imagined while traveling all over the United States. I will show you how to happily camp, travel, and live forever on $20 a day. To Vanabode is to experience it all. It is not a gimmick but rather a carefully thought out plan complete with all the details necessary to quit your job and get some serious time to yourself anywhere you have ever dreamed of going.

I will show you how TWO people can travel ANYWHERE in the United States together, how you will sleep in your own luxurious clean bed every night, how to have a hot bath, how to eat delicious meals, and how to experience incredible adventures for less than $40 a day total (about $20 per person). You will not skimp or feel neglected, bored or uncomfortable. On the contrary, I promise to show you how to sleep better than you ever have, how to spice up your sex life, how to get the time you want and need to relax or pursue your favorite hobby, how to eat healthier, and how to travel to new exciting destinations of your choosing forever. For those that don't have any savings or retirement income I include a list of more than 30 legitimate easy ways to earn money while traveling all over the country. This way you can travel forever if you want to.
I will show you where to get lists of free places to spend the night from over 50,000 locations in the United States. If you want to stay put in one location for 3 - 6 months at a time, like say in a national park like Yellowstone or Glacier, I will show you how two people can live happily on even less than $40 a day and get paid to be there!

 

 

I will show you how and where to apply for thousands of jobs that you can do without experience while camping all over the United States in some of the most exciting destinations you have ever imagined. I have worked this way since 1994 and exclusively this way since 2005.

I take the mystery out of retiring early 

I will show everyone how to get the time and money for a temporary retirement, sabbatical, or extended vacation. Those needing time off to write a book, compose music, produce a movie script, or get back on their feet after a divorce or other family tragedy will find this work invaluable.
I will show you how to live super cheaply off the grid even if you don't want to travel.

I will show you how to get great sleep, how to maintain proper personal hygiene with hot showers and toilet strategies, how to eat and afford delicious exotic meals, all while living a life of adventure; safely, easily, and cheaply.

I will show you how to cook hot meals anywhere without electricity, fire or fuel, made from the freshest ingredients including organic fruits, vegetables, meats, artisan breads, and cheeses purchased from thousands of farmers markets and roadside produce stands across the country.

I will show you how to get rid of all your debt and stay debt free forever.

Image shows a wild sea turtle photographed off the coast of Florida at a secret secluded clothing optional beach. My wife and I would get all Adam and Eve for days here in pristine delicious privacy. The location is revealed in the book along with must have parking strategies.

I will show foreign travelers, visitors and tourists who want to spend 2 months or even 2 years exploring the United States how to do so on $20 a day.

I will show you how to infuse your life, marriage, and family with the greatest, most romantic memories possible while spending less than half what you spend at home doing nothing.

I will show you how to happily live a complete and fulfilled life without home ownership hassles, mortgage payments, electricity bills, water bills, tax bills, homeowners association payments, real estate taxes, sewage or trash bills, house insurance payments, pest control expenses, and more.

I will show anyone that thinks they cannot afford to travel how to do so.

I will show poker players who want to travel in America to exciting places like Las Vegas and California, how to live the professional poker players dream while preserving and growing their bankroll.

I will show displaced workers, and those struggling financially how to cut costs and survive with their integrity and dignity intact.

I will show those who don't want a house to keep up with, like young surfers or college students, how to live a fun life without a mortgage payment or the responsibility of a house.

I will show RV owners how to happily downsize from their massive motor homes and fifth wheels, all the while saving money and expanding the places they can travel to.

I will show retirees the best way to keep their house if they want to, but still travel cheaply and easily.

I will show short term casual campers with normal families and with young school age children at home how to travel and camp in the most extraordinarily simple and cheap way possible.

"This guy shows you how to cook without electricity, fire, fuel or smoke: how to sleep for free in your own clean bed mortgage free every night of the year: and eat out every night if you want on $25 a day. You just can't top it" Tammy R. out of Branson Missouri

"How many books have you ever bought that showed you how to get out of debt, travel AND find a job while doing it? This is crazy, but I'm on board now baby and loving it" Eileen Mathews in Detroit

Wow there is no substitute for Las Vegas! Do you have any idea how much fun you can have here? Vanabode shows you how to get free access to the top night clubs and swimming pools here, plus how to get free food, showers and show tickets. Poker players too can live here for $20 a day and make tons of money plying their trade. Photo Courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau

I will show survivalists or those being stalked how to disappear, leave their past behind, and become invisible to creditors, government agencies, credit bureaus, and anyone else they wish to limit contact with.

I will show anyone that wants to run a mobile business like a website, hot dog cart, or consulting company for example, how to do so with very little overhead.

I will show those with a chronic fatal disease how to enjoy life to the fullest before dying.

My methods also work for those that want to investigate a new place to live without making a premature financial commitment to it.

To Vanabode is to live: NOW. Come with me and you will discover why this revolutionary lifestyle is so unique and sustainable. I am not talking about a tiny little one-week-a-year trip to a distant place surrounded by tourists where you hope the weather is good and pray you don't get sick and for a few hours you can almost forget your tired stress filled life back home. Then you board the plane or ship and head back to your old life; tired, sad and wanting so much more. NO! I am talking about a method of traveling and living that is so much bigger, so much more sustainable, so much more fun and enriching, that once you start you will never…ever…view life the same way again.

Unplug your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever. Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure.

"The only book that you need to travel the entire United States. Period." Matt in Raleigh

"I don't care if you think it will be a year or even 5 years before you can leave on your trip of a lifetime. Get this book NOW so you can plan correctly! I did. It's only been 4 months and I have already tested my van and equipment with three 4 day remote camping trips. It is a lot of fun!". . . Tamara in Maine

"Intelligent insight coupled with a lot of one-of-a-kind information. . ." professional book reviewer

If you are like me and like to do things yourself, your way; then this is the how to get started"
Bob Thomason in Montana

"I don't care what kind of vehicle you use to see America, get this book. He contrasts all kinds of living and traveling strategies from being homeless to being rich, from tractor trailers to backpacking, from houseboats to van camping. You will get the compete picture and when you're done you may be as convinced as I am (and as he is) that this Vanaboding is by far the greatest way to do it all"
Sam Stout in Baja Mexico

"If you want to go anywhere for more than 2 weeks at a time, then you should certainly buy this book"
Peter Arkins, Washington

National parks represent a treasure that we were astonished to find were frequented by foreigners more often than by U.S. citizens. When I asked my friends why they never went they all said the same thing. They were too far away and they only could never get enough time off work to go. Vanabode solves these problems head first. The book demonstrates how to make both the time and the money to visit these extraordinary national gems for months at a time.
Half Dome reflection at Yosemite National Park image © Starletdarlene - Dreamstime.com

"Vanabode takes the biggest expenses incurred in a long vacation (airfare, lodging and ground transportation costs) and throws them out the window. Unbelievable but true…well done. If I could hug the author I would." Lucille currently hitting northern California

Edward Hasbrouck is considered by most to be the top authority on world travel having worked his way slowly through some 35+ countries in 35+ years. He is the author of the worlds most complete work on travel around the world titled "the Practical Nomad". He has this to say (quote) "No other country is more geographically diverse than the United States." (unquote) So what is stopping you? With this masterful book and proposed new way of life that the author calls Vanabode you can actually experience the greatest sights in the world from the safest country, cheaply and easily by van. No planes, trains, or buses needed." Charles Saunders from the Literary Travel Network

"I had a lot of legitimate "excuses" why I could not travel. He covers everyone of them in this book. I put his solutions to work and we have been camping through Utah for 6 weeks now. The kids are fine, the bills are paid, and we are eating better than ever. Fantastic!" Anthony and Margaret Thomason from Miami

"Wikipedia describes Vanabode as a "disruptive technology" or "disruptive innovation"; terms used in business and technology circles to describe innovations that improve a product or service in ways that the market does not expect, typically by being lower priced or making something available to everyone that was previously only available to the rich". . . from an award winning travel innovations essay 2009

Goat Rock State Park offers a rugged far out landscape to enjoy. Far from the crowds here you can find peace and a lot of things to do. Can you see the beach? Can you see the rocky cliffs? Can you see the hiking trails? The whales, seals, fish, deer, birds and more abound here. You just need the time to take it all in. We were here for a week and this place is spellbinding.

"I know it sounds corny but I think you may have saved my marriage with this book. When I bought Vanabode I was very depressed and I thought my wife was leaving me for sure. When I showed her the plans you outline she changed her mind and broke down in tears and said "Lets go together, please, please, don't you see I just want to spend time with you. I am sick of all the stress that is tearing us apart. I wanted to leave this life that has become such a grind, not leave YOU!", anonymous from Toledo

"Vanabode helped me realize that it is not money I am short of, but time. This book showed me exactly how to fix that" Randy in Maui

"Mr. Odom really gets you to take a look at your life, andthen just when you think you are going to be depressed, he shows you how to have it all. . . even on a budget that seems impossible"
Charlie Stevens born in Huntsville Alabama

"WOW! I am actually putting more money away while having the time of my life cruising the country than did while at my boring job back in Nebraska. Thanks for showing me how to do it" Steve Allistair

"If enough people embrace Vanaboding it will change the health and climate of America for the good, forever" Thomas Kinsey, Boise

Click to order your own copy of "Vanabode" otherwise more reviews follow.

"The first book I have ever bought that totally delivered. The chapter where you showed people how and where to find work while they are traveling was worth the price of the book just by itself" Todd in Oregon

"I have been van camping for years but this book really helped me. I thought I had it down pat but his helpful chapters on time management, staying in big cities undetected, and saving money were worth the price of the book times ten!" Andy Brewster camping all over Canada

"Astonishing book" Robert from Wisconsin

We had a wonderfully romantic time here eventually falling asleep on top of a gigantic tractor almost 18 feet off the ground. We watched the stars that night with the sounds of bleating sheep and bison calling to each other in the night air. Location is revealed in the book along with hundreds of places to explore like this, off the path and far from tourists.

"I'm not that creative. Really I'm just a workaholic. This book has shown me how to spend more time with my little boys and wife. He makes it easy with his simple step by step plans" Art from Trenton

"I've always had this fantasy of quitting work and backpacking around. But my legs won't take it and it's not safe. This Vanabode idea is perfect. I am seeing all of the East Coast already. My average daily spend is only $26 a day. I highly recommend you get a copy of this book if you want to go cheap" Heath from Texas

"I like the budget travel info. It's helpful everywhere you want to travel or live" Gerald lifelong traveler

"When I read your line 'Vanaboding is about spending time living a fun life rather than spending money trying to buy a fun life' I was stunned. This is exactly what I have been doing for 20 years, trying to earn enough money to buy our family a fun life. Thank you so much for clarifying this and helping me on my way to finally living a fun life. The resources and advice you provide in your book are priceless, at least for me they are." Name withheld

"He really makes travel possible for everyone. . ." Peggy March living in Arizona

"Jason offers slap your face wake up calls with a sense of humility" Robert reporter for Valley Times

 

Variety Makes the Vanabode Lifestyle Unbeatable

From the finest art galleries in America to rugged national parks; from sandy seashores to desert rocky mountains; from small towns to big cities; from wild life to wild times; you can have it all on $20 a day.

Images above include fine art galleries we have visited, gorgeous beaches in California, museums, a pit bull that got hurt by a porcupine, Zion National Park, and my lovely wife Kelly sliding down a snowy mountain on Mount Charleston 45 minutes outside Las Vegas. My point is simple. If you Vanabode the way I lay it out for you in the book you will have time to do whatever YOU want to do, and you will have the money to do it FOREVER!

"I was very skeptical. For example, how do you take a bath while traveling and living out of a van? (he calls his hybrid version Vanaboding) How do you cook? How do you use the bathroom? I bought the book and I have to admit, he does show you numerous, I repeat numerous, simple practical ways to do all of these and more. He tackles the hard stuff head on. I am very satisfied with my purchase of this book. Permission granted to print this" Abigail and Steve from Albany

"This skinny long haired dude delivers the goods with Vanabode! Just joking with the names, remember me from the email saying you looked like a rock star?" Ken Stokes out of San Francisco

"In this age of scams it is really refreshing to have someone honest helping you. He showed me how to avoid unnecessary debt while getting on the road" Mary Ann from Timberton

"Vanabode shows you how to find work while camping out, and how to get out and see America now before you are too old to do much of anything" name withheld from California

"Anybody can make use of this information whether traveling or planning to travel, or just dreaming about it" Cubey May

"This book pays for itself on the first camping trip you take" Ken from Baltimore

"The references and resources listed in this book are worth the cover price alone" Candice Milroy

This is a top notch travel resource. It is completely original. I don't believe there is anything like it anywhere" seriously grateful in Burlington

By Vanabode

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Introducing Halong Bay

Majestic and mysterious, inspiring and imperious: words alone cannot do justice to the natural wonder that is Halong Bay. Imagine 3000 or more incredible islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and you have a vision of breathtaking beauty. Halong Bay is pure art, a priceless collection of unfinished sculptures hewn from the hand of nature.
In 1994 it was designated a World Heri­tage site. Visitors can’t help but compare the magical, mystical landscape of limestone islets to Guilin in China and Krabi in southern Thailand, but in reality Halong Bay is more spectacular. These tiny islands are dotted with beaches and grottoes created by wind and waves, and have sparsely forested slopes ringing with birdsong.
Beyond the breathtaking vistas on a boat cruise through the bay, visitors to Halong come to explore the caves – some of which are beautifully illuminated for the benefit of tourists – and to hike in Cat Ba National Park. There are few real beaches in Halong Bay, but Lan Ha Bay (off the coast of Cat Ba Island) has more than 100 sandy strips.
Halong City is the gateway to Halong Bay but not the ideal introduction to this incredible World Heritage site. Developers have not been kind to the city and most visitors sensibly opt for tours that include sleeping on a boat in the bay. In short, Halong Bay is the attraction; Halong City is not.
As the number-one tourist attraction in the northeast, Halong Bay draws a steady stream of visitors year-round. From February to April the weather in this region is often cool and drizzly. The ensuing fog can make visibility low, but this adds an ethereal air to the place and the temperature rarely falls below 10°C. During the summer months tropical storms are frequent, and tourist boats may have to alter their itineraries, depending on the weather.
Halong Bay is the stuff of myths and naturally the Vietnamese have concocted one. Halong translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’. Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon that lived in the mountains. As it charged towards the coast, its flailing tail gouged out valleys and crevasses. When it finally plunged into the sea, the area filled with water, leaving only the pinnacles visible.
Dragons aside, the biggest threat to the bay may be from souvenir-hunting tourists. Rare corals and seashells are rapidly being stripped from the sea floor, and stalactites and stalagmites are being broken off from the caves. These items get turned into key rings, paperweights and ashtrays, which are on sale in the local souvenir shops. Obviously the fewer people buy, the less the local people will take to sell, so don’t encourage the trade.

Halong Bay image gallery


Hang Sung Sot cave, Halong Bay
Limestone karst tower near entrance to Hang Sung Sot cave.

Boats, Halong Bay
Boats in Halong Bay.

Fruit for Sale, Halong Bay
Fruit for sale on boat.

Limestone Karst Towers, Halong Bay
Lagoon amongst limestone karst towers.

Titop Island, Halong Bay
Overhead of some of bay's 3000 limestone islands seen from rotunda on summit of Titop Island.

Tonkin, Halong Bay
Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon who lived in the mountains, hence the names meaning " where the dragon descends into the sea ". Here local boys sell freshly caught crabs, Gulf of Tonkin

Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay
Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. The magnificent bay with its 3000 islands and islets of carboniferous chalk is the natural marvel of Vietnam.

By Lonely Planet

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Introducing Hanoi

Imagine a city where the exotic chic of old Asia blends with the dynamic face of new Asia. Where the medieval and modern co-exist. A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals. Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality.
A mass of motorbikes swarms through the tangled web of streets that is the Old Quarter, a cauldron of commerce for almost 1000 years and still the best place to check the pulse of this resurgent city. Hawkers in conical hats ply their wares, locals sip coffee and bia hoi (beer) watching life (and plenty of tourists) pass them by. Witness synchronised t’ai chi at dawn on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake while goateed grandfathers tug at their wisps over the next chess move. See the bold and beautiful dine at designer restaurants and cut the latest moves on the dance floor. Hanoi has it all: the ancient history, a colonial legacy and a modern outlook. There is no better place to untangle the paradox that is modern Vietnam.
The grand old dame of Asia, Hanoi lay in a deep slumber after Vietnam’s partition in 1954 until the effects of economic reforms kicked in four decades later. The city survived American bombs and Russian planners to emerge relatively unscathed in the early 1990s as an example of a French-conceived colonial city. Huge mansions line grand boulevards, and lakes and parks dot the city, providing a romantic backdrop to the nonstop soundtrack. There are still moments of Paris, as the smell of baguettes and café au lait permeates street corners.
Known by many names down the centuries, Thanh Long (City of the Soaring Dragon) is the most evocative, and let there be no doubt that this dragon is on the up once more.
Ready to go?

• Bike, hike and kayak across Northern Vietnam
• Take a cruise to the Halong Bay

Hanoi image gallery

Ho Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
Pagoda in centre of Ho Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword).

Minced pork and prawn, Hanoi
Dim Sims and steamed dumplings with minced pork and prawn.

Tortoise Pagoda, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
Evening view of the Tortoise Pagoda on Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

Vegetable market, Hanoi

Downtown Hanoi
Traffic intersection, downtown Hanoi.

Truc Bach Lake, Hanoi
People relaxing beside Truc Bach Lake, West Lake & Truc Bach district.

Perfume Pagoda, Hanoi
Row boats at My Duc, for journey to Perfume Pagoda.

By Lonely Planet

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Introducing Hué

If art and architecture matter more to you than beaches and beer, Hué will be high on your Vietnam must-visit list. The capital of the Nguyen emperors, Hué is packed with temples, tombs, palaces and pagodas – or at least the remains of those that successive armies didn’t manage to completely destroy. Foodies won’t want to miss the fussy degustation-style Imperial cuisine for which this city is rightly famous.
On the banks of the enigmatically named Perfume River, the peculiar light of this historic place imbues photographs with a hazy, purple tinge. It would all be quite idyllic if it weren’t for the constant dogging most tourists face as soon as they step off the bus. The touts in Hué are more incessant than most.
While the offshoots of mass tourism may be annoying, it should be remembered that Hué’s cultural sites were destined for ob­livion without it. After 1975 they were left to decay – Imperialist reminders of the feudal Nguyen dynasty. In 1990 that the local People’s Committee recognised the potential of the place and declared these sites ‘national treasures’. In 1993 Unesco designated the complex of monuments in Hué a World Heritage site, and restoration and preservation work continues.
The Festival of Hué is celebrated biennially in even-numbered years, with local and international cultural performers at locations throughout the city. Hotel accommodation is at a premium at this time, so book ahead if you can.

By Lonely Planet

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Introducing Hoi An

A highlight of any trip to Vietnam, Hoi An is a town oozing charm and history, having largely escaped the destruction of successive wars. Once a sleepy riverside village, it’s now quite definitely a tourist town – with hotels, restaurants, bars, tailors and souvenir shops dominating the old centre. Despite this air of irreality, Hoi An’s charisma pervades.
The local People’s Committee periodically clamps down on touts, and while this doesn’t mean a completely hassle-free visit, a stroll down the street is usually more relaxed here than in Hué or Nha Trang. Hoi An is pedestrian-friendly: the Old Town is closed to cars and the distances from the hotels to the centre are walkable. It’s a great place to hire a bike.
Known as Faifo to Western traders, from the 17th to 19th centuries it was one of Southeast Asia’s major international ports. Vietnamese ships and sailors based here sailed all around Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
Perhaps more than any other place in Viet­nam, Hoi An retains a sense of history that envelops you as you explore it. This is especially true on ‘Hoi An Legendary Night’. Every month on the full moon, motorbikes are banned from the Old Town, which is transformed into a magical land of silk lanterns, traditional food, song and dance, and games in the streets.
Every year during the rainy season, particularly in October and November, Hoi An has problems with flooding, especially in areas close to the waterfront. The greatest flood ever recorded in Hoi An took place in 1964, when the water reached all the way up to the roof beams of the houses. In late 2006 the town bore the brunt of the worst typhoon in 50 years.
There’s plenty to do in Hoi An. Emphatically the most enchanting place along the coast, this is one spot worth lingering in.

By Lonely Planet

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Introducing Ho Chi Minh City

Fasten your seatbelts as Ho Chi Minh City is a metropolis on the move – and we’re not just talking about the motorbikes that throng the streets. Saigon, as it’s known to all but city officials, is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the whole country forward with its limitless energy. It is a living organism that breathes life and vitality into all who settle here, and visitors cannot help but be hauled along for the ride.
Saigon is a name so evocative that it conjures up a thousand jumbled images. Wander through timeless alleys to ancient pagodas or teeming markets, past ramshackle wooden shops selling silk, spices and baskets, before fast-forwarding into the future beneath sleek skyscrapers or at designer malls, gourmet restaurants and minimalist bars. The ghosts of the past live on in the churches, temples, former GI hotels and government buildings that one generation ago witnessed a city in turmoil, but the real beauty of Saigon’s urban collage is that these two worlds blend so seamlessly into one.
Whether you want the finest hotels or the cheapest guesthouses, the classiest restaurants or the most humble street stalls, the designer boutiques or the scrum of the markets, Saigon has it all. The Saigon experience is about so many things – memorable conversations, tantalising tastes and moments of frustration – yet it will not evoke apathy. Stick around this conundrum of a city long enough and you may just unravel its mysteries.
Ready to go?

• Cycle from Ho Chi Minh City to Angkor Wat
• Travel to the heart of the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City image gallery



People's Committe Hall (City Hall) with statue of Ho Chi Minh in foreground.

Thuan Kieu Plaza, Ho Chi Minh City
Women with red fans at Thuan Kieu Plaza.

Fisherman, Ho Chi Minh City
Fisherman near Ho Chi Minh City.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh City
Interior, Notre Dame Cathedral.

District one, Ho Chi Minh City
French Colonial building, District 1.

Saigon Tax Trade centre café, Ho Chi Minh City
View from Saigon Tax Trade centre cafe.

Saigon by night, Ho Chi Minh City

Nguyen Hue Boulevard, Ho Chi Minh City
Nguyen Hue Boulevard in District 1.

The Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
The Rex Hotel at dusk.

By Lonely Planet

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Introducing Vietnam

 

Blessed with a ravishing coastline, emerald-green mountains, breathtaking national parks, dynamic cities, outstanding cultural interest and one of the world’s best cuisines, Vietnam has it all.

The Vietnamese Experience
Vietnam is a nation going places. Fast. Its people are energetic, direct, sharp in commerce and resilient by nature. This is an outrageously fun country to explore, the locals love a laugh (and a drink) and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to socialise with them and hear their tales. The American War is over, and yet its impact endures – you’ll find reminders of that cataclysmic conflict everywhere you travel. That said, the country was never broken and emerged with its pride intact. Poor in parts but never squalid, Vietnam is developing at an astonishing pace. For travellers, there are issues to consider (including minor scams), but little real danger – on the whole it’s a safe, wonderfully rewarding and incredibly varied country to explore.

A Cultural Smorgasbord
This is a country of myriad influences and reference points. In the south, Indian and Hindu culture had a lasting influence in the Cham temples and spicy regional cuisine, spiked with chilli and tempered with coconut. Head north and Chinese connections are far more apparent. Between these two competing cultures, you’ll find a quintessential Vietnam in the central provinces: the graceful historic old port of Hoi An, and the royal tombs, pagodas and imperial cuisine of Hue. Oh, and there’s more, far more. Factor in an enduring French colonial legacy, which is evident in Hanoi’s graceful boulevards, in Ho Chi Minh City’s stately museums and in the crispy baguettes and coffee culture you’ll find on every street corner. Add the American interlude, more than 50 hill tribes, and of course the proud (battletested and victorious) ruling Communist Party ideology and you’ve got Vietnam: heady, intoxicating and unique.

Big Nature, Booming Cities
If you want visual dramatics, Vietnam delivers. Cruise an azure ocean pierced by surreal- looking limestone islands in Halong Bay, slalom through the majestic inland karst mountains of Cao Bang. Hike mountain tracks and explore tribal villages near Sapa and Bac Ha. Then witness the spectacular sandy bays of the central coastline and explore the reefs and coves of the Cham and Con Dao Islands. Highway 1 is near-relentlessly urban, so get off it at regular intervals to see the astonishing cave systems of Phong Nha, national parks like Cat Tien, and the bewitching back waters of the Mekong Delta. Finally, no visit would be complete without experiencing the energy of big-city life in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, the grand old lady of the Orient, and Ho Chi Minh City, the engine room of the economy and the nation.

Learn a little history, and how to cross the street (!) with our 226 Days in Nam video. Or see the capital in a different light with our Hanoi Hustle video.

Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:

• Travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in 11 days
• Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok in 9 days
• Trek the beautiful Sapa Valley in Vietnam’s remote northwest

By Lonely Planet

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