2023 is just around the corner! If you’re starting to plan your travels for next year, why not include some truly amazing experiences in Southeast Asia?  Here is our selected list of the TOP 10 EXPERIENCES for 2023! 10- Join a local exercise class: If working out is part of your daily routine, then why not continue on holiday? Rather than hitting the gym there are plenty of free local exercise classes that happen throughout Asia, usually in local parks or public squares. Our favorite is the ‘laughing Tai Chi’ in Hanoi, which is, as the name implies, a Tai…

Vespa Adventures is THE original scooter tour company in Asia and although there are many copy-cats on the market, we are still the best! With 15+ years of experience under our belt, we know what it takes to deliver “The Ride of Your Life”. Since day one, our goal has been to run the highest-quality scooter tours in Asia. Combining our passion for Vespas and our extensive destination knowledge, we have achieved this target and we take pride in knowing that every one of our guests has a truly local, truly unique experience. We know there are lots of tour…

Seeing the sunrise at Angkor Wat is a ‘must’! The world’s largest religious monument is incredible at any time of day but watching the temple slowly emerge from the dark as the sun’s first rays appear is really special.  I had visited Angkor Wat before at sunrise on a previous trip. It was really amazing but there were so many people! So when I returned to Siem Reap this year with my partner, I booked Vespa Adventures’ Our Angkor Sunrise tour. I wanted my partner to experience the sunrise at Angkor but not in the normal way- and I also…

By Gerard Claramunt Big statement, I know, but this delicious local dish has definitely the potential to be a signature dish in Hanoi in a near future. I’m backing my opinion for our food knowledge in Hanoi and the trendy that we are seeing here and, apparently, some media like CNN agrees on that as they featured Pho Cuon as one of the top dishes in Vietnam. In our Ha Noi After Dark tour, we bring our guests to a full of local people area. In there the whole street have restaurants that are selling the same thing: Pho Cuon.…

in collaboration with Dagiac Famed for its karst towers, sunken mountains, viridian hills and flowing rice terraces, Northern Vietnam is a place like no other. With many areas vastly unchanged by modern tourism, the northern country is a welcome escape from the bedlam of the more populous southern cities. Whether you are looking to escape to the countryside or explore the urban jungle, Northern Vietnam has plenty to offer. HANOI - SAPA - HA LONG - NINH BINH Beautiful pagodas are just one of the many things to appreciate in Hanoi The capital city of Vietnam is a fascinating place…

By Craig Bowman "What is this? What is that used for? Do people eat that? Why is it that color?" These are the many questions asked at the market stop during the Insider’s Phnom Penh adventure. If you are like me, from a western country, you’d probably asked those very same questions. Maybe some of them you asked yourself as you are trying to pretend you know some knowledge of this foreign city. After all, we all are human and eat generally the same types of food, right? Okay so maybe an American might eat more pork ribs than a…

By Summer & Kayli www.getbusyexploring.com June 29th, 2017  What a day exploring the world’s largest temple. Alas, our long awaited adventure around The Magical Angkor Wat had come. And what better way to transport us to each temple than on the back of Vespas. We started our day by meeting our group at the Independence Royal Gardens outside the same Spirit House we were at the night before. After our brief meet and greet and a quick banana snack to start our day off, we then jumped on the Vespas and made a pit stop at the ticket office to get our temple tickets and have…

Written by Gerard Claramunt Hanoi and surroundings have been developing in Red River Delta – the biggest river in the north of Vietnam plays an important role in the history of inhabiting and developing of the country. Most of the rivers connect with the Red River before going to the sea, it makes the Red River becomes the main waterway to bring products from mountain provinces to the plains areas and return. Vietnam used to be a poor agricultural country, and the Red River is the main water source for the cultivating. If you would like to experience the daily life…

by Craig Bowman Cities going through a transition period, such as Phnom Penh, often are faced with dilemmas in regards to the changes in property and landscape. Going from a city with very few buildings above 5 stories to one with many city high rises and urban planning, Phnom Penh has had to make room for these many investments. One such case happened to Boeung Kak Lake. It was originally the site of Phnom Penh’s largest and most beautiful lake. Estimates say the population around or near the lake is about 4,250 families, or 20,000 residents living on stilted houses…

by Cassidy Armbruster   Yes, red lights are somewhat optional. Yes, the traffic is always buzzing. Yes, the sidewalks are constantly flooded with people. And don't worry, you will get better at crossing the street. Ho Chi Minh City is a place of organized chaos, but its chaotic nonetheless. You may need a relaxing breath of fresh air every now and again, and I've got just the options for you: 1) Taste Vietnamese Coffee in a quiet Cafe Iv'e tried a new cafe just about everyday, and each day I'm surprised to find the new cafe more relaxing than the last.…

 by Cassidy Armbruster Vietnam’s countryside is filled with rice fields, and the cities with rice dishes.  Rice fuels people’s stomachs as well as the economy. Vietnam is the second largest exporter of rice in the entire world, and is the seventh biggest consumer of rice according to the International Rice Research Institute. On an average summer day, the sun is beaming and the temperature feels as though it's continuously rising, making conditions extremely harsh for these rice farmers that cover their bodies head to toe to avoid the sunlight.  Just outside of the Phan family temple, a rice farmer was…

Today, you can see Vespas all over the streets of Vietnam. But you might ask yourself, how did Vespa come to be the famous icon that it is today? It all began in 1884, when the Piaggio company in Italy started out producing timber, seaplanes, and airplanes. Due to its success, it became one of the largest airplane companies in the world! Unfortunately, that happened to not be the best thing in Italy when World War II started in 1933. The fact that Piaggio became so successful with its airplanes led to it being a target for enemies and to…