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…

After the chaos of Bangkok, my partner and I arrived in Chiang Mai tired and longing for a bit of nature. I asked the receptionist at my guesthouse for recommendations and he showed me the Vespa Adventures’ brochure. The tours all looked great but the Chiang Mai Countryside tour was the one that really caught my eye! I got online immediately and booked for the following day.    Looking back on our two-week Thailand holiday, the Vespa Adventures tour was definitely the highlight! Here’s why you’ll want to also book this amazing Chiang Mai Vespa tour. The route- we saw…

When I’m traveling, I love exploring on my own. But in each new city I visit, I book one tour to see and learn things that only locals know. Not your normal sightseeing tours but ones that take you to hidden parts of town and show you about local life and culture. And that’s how I ended up on Vespa Adventures’ Chiang Mai After Dark Tour! I was so excited to travel around Chiang Mai ‘the local way’, on the back of a motorbike. I was also a bit nervous as I had never been on a Vespa before and…

SONGKRAN FESTIVAL HISTORY AND RITUALS On 13TH of April every year, Songkran Festival is celebrated all around Thailand. This day marks the start of a new Buddhist year and celebrated are stretched until the 16th of April. It is one of the largest festivals in Thailand and attracts a large number of tourists from around the globe. The Songkran celebration is rich with symbolic traditions. Mornings begin with merit-making, visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practised. Another major part of the Songkran festival is throwing water. The Thai people believe that water is spiritually…

Every visitor to Chiang Mai wants to try new tasty local dishes on vacation. Vespa adventure aims at introducing guests with local culture, food, and people, on our exciting and unique tours. Thai dishes are adored all around the world for their taste and presentation. Thai cooking rejects simplicity and is about “the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish”. Northern Thailand where Vespa Adventures operate; is cold and surrounded by mountains has a unique set of cuisine to offer. In addition, the ancient culture of Northern Thailand plays its role in deriving quality and scrumptious dishes. While…

  Chiang Mai is one of the most popular destinations in Thailand. Located in the north of the country, it is famous for its historical temples, picturesque mountains, cool weather and scenic views. The vibrant city is filled with interesting sites as well as a lots of great restaurants, cafes and bars while in the outskirts of the city you will find stunning landscapes and traditional villages. Below are the top 10 reasons to visit Chiang Mai! 10. Cool and Pleasant Weather Surrounded by mountains and with less urban development, Chiang Mai’s climate is much more pleasant than that of…

10 Unbeatable Reasons to visit Hoi An For Enthusiastic travelers in Asia and Indochina there is a place that is constantly on the list of "best of the best": Hoi An. It is a favorite port city of Southeast Asia. It conquers all comers. So why visit Hoi An? Here we have listed 10 unbeatable reasons. Check out! 1. The Old Town In the 16th and 19th centuries, Hoi An was a busy trading port. Nowadays, this historic quarter is a mysterious, enchanting streetscape mix of Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese architecture, with later European influences. The streets in Hoi An…

Is it rainy season? Dry season? Do we just stay in the south or visit the north? All important, yet tricky questions when deciding on the best time to travel to Hanoi. Personally speaking, September is the most perfect time of year to visit Hanoi for a number of reasons.  Firstly, the sweltering Summer heat has subsided and the cooler Autumn weather makes for pleasant days exploring the city without the need of multiple showers. No one likes a stinky tourist! Next, students in Vietnam have just returned for the new year so there’s a general buzz about the city with…

It was June 1999 when I first arrived in a dusty and sleepy little town of Siem Reap with my backpack on my back and my mum flying into meet me to explore the temples of Angkor.   It was a very different place back then. Nearly all the roads were broken, there were very few fancy hotels or restaurants. There were not even any tuk tuks! So I negotiated with a moto-taxi driver to rent his Honda Dream and off we went -me driving and my mum nervously hanging on for dear life. Its 20 years ago now, but I…

by Sissy Mallard For the UNESCO Heritage Town of Hoi An, it’s all about the lanterns, from the cute floating ones to the impressive hanging ones, there isn’t a night when you can’t experience the colorful beauty of these little gifts to the gods that hopefully bring us fortune and love. While the biggest and best lantern festival of the year happens in February on the first full moon of the year after Tet, on the 14th day of each lunar month Hoi An comes alive as locals and tourists celebrate by lighting candles and floating lanterns down the Thu…

by Sissy Mallard I had only been in Saigon for 5 days when my mom called to tell me my Daddy had been taken to the Emergency Room and then admitted to the hospital. Talk about a wake up call, that news hit me like a ton of bricks but what could I do from halfway around the world?! While I wanted to go straight to the airport and catch the next flight home, and after crying for about 30 minutes, I caught my breath, said some prayers both for my Daddy and me to be strong, then I went…

by Sissy Mallard After riding through quiet villages that seem surreal and transport you back in time, walking through the fresh market that lights all of your senses on fire and zooming over the red clay trails out to boats that will take us to Lake Tonle Sap, you are keenly aware of how amazingly different this part of Cambodia will be. Our group is large but we move along with ease as our drivers expertly navigate the way, dropping us off then picking us up at just the right spots. After a stroll through the always-exciting booths of the…

by Sissy Mallard When you sign up for a 6-hour tour, your expectations are high because you have obviously put some thought into where you want to go and have considered which tour will be right for you and your family. As with all Vespa Adventures tours, being picked up from your hotel is one of the best parts. I am not a fan of waking up early on the weekend but this morning I am downstairs ahead of schedule because I am excited about going on this all day adventure into a mysterious world that is far away from…

by Sissy Mallard The history of craft beer in Vietnam is a short one. The industry is very new, only a couple of years old and that’s the best part, we are on a drinking adventure in unchartered territory! The drive and commitment that these passionate pioneers have is unmatched as they are constantly experimenting and developing new flavors and brews. There are IPA’s, stouts, pale ales, ciders and porters – it’s difficult to choose a favorite and you probably shouldn’t because next month there will be a new batch of tastiness that will be sure to please your thirsty…

by Sissy Mallard Healthy, fresh food is the key to a satisfying, productive life and what I found at Mr. Anh’s farm certainly fills the bill with colorful fields that are overflowing with many different varieties of vegetable and fruit crops. Along with lush green and golden tan rice paddies as far as the eye can see, vegetables and fruits such as eggplant, corn, okra, morning glory, beans, water spinach, winter melon, bitter melon and red amaranth are thriving in the bright hot Hoi An sun. After tasting this bounty and experiencing this place for myself, I understand why the…

by Sally Writes One of the most thrilling places to eat in Vietnam is at the traditional open markets, where single-dish stalls are in abundance. Women chefs are predominant here, cooking up old family recipes. While Vietnam does not offer a classic barbecue to which the Western palate has grown accustomed, the country does offer safe, smoked foods. However, as in most places around the world, it’s hard to know which of these markets is safe. Know how to determine a safe place to eat and learn what foods to order to satisfy your cravings for smoked meat. Scanning for safety Many…

by Sissy Mallard I’m willing to admit it – I knew nothing about the history of Earth Day which started in my home country. It began in the US on April 22, 1970, organized by Sen. Gaylord Nelson to protest the industrial revolution and his actions resulted in a cleaner America-what a great legacy! The international Mother Earth Day, as it was dubbed by the UN in 1990, has over 1 billion participants today and the focus this year is on single-use plastic reduction. I hope everyone plans to participate in some way, big or small, not only on Sunday,…

by Gerard Claramunt It’s important to know that TET or the Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year in Vietnam. All people return to their hometowns for big celebrations with their families. One of the oldest traditions surrounding TET is a live Kumquat tree and every family must have one. In the northern part of the country, there is a new trend that allows more families to join in with this rich tradition-it’s a bonsai kumquat tree that is perfect for people who live in small apartments. I met a master gardener named Mr. Manh, he…

by Neil Fraser Rice plays such an essential part of Vietnamese cuisine, that we often hear this phrase: “ăn cơm chưa”. This literally means “have you had rice yet?”  however this is used to ask if you are hungry such is the importance of rice in the locals diet. Vietnam is consistently in the top 5 producers & exporters of rice in the world & this resilient crop is grown across Vietnam. In the south & the Mekong Delta, with the favourable weather conditions the growers can expect 3 crops annually. The number of annual crops decreases as we head…

by Sally Writes Consumers in Vietnam have become ever more savvy in recent years, wanting to know more about the food they eat in restaurants and the foods they buy from street sellers and markets. The same goes for vacationers, too. The number of farmer groups in Vietnam that grow safe and organic vegetables is growing steadily, as are the appetites of travelers who are hungry to explore the possibilities of Vietnamese cuisines as safely as possible.  Vietnamese urban consumers and travelers are becoming more monied, health savvy and internet aware. Their busier lives mean that they don't always have time…

by holydayfactors.com Have you already started preparing for your next holiday? If you have not decided the place till now, find it right here, in this article. Plan for your next trip to enchanting Cambodia and ensure you can enjoy every bit of it nothing but with sheer pleasure. It will be quite fascinating for you to know that planning for a trip to Cambodia is not that difficult as it seems to be. It is a small country and therefore, it is not that difficult to make a proper plan around it. The best part is despite being small…

By John Watson It's a small and simple story.  But it is something that happens almost everyday, and shows the true wonder of Cambodia, I think. Now, normally, we take our time and space here to share interesting historical facts, adventures, and some of the many other highlights of enjoying the Ride of Your Life on a Vespa. But this month I would like to tell you a small personal story. Don't worry! The second part of last month’s story will follow, but this one reminded me of why I love Cambodia, the Khmer people and living here for over…

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.…