The top things to do in Cambodia

Cambodia is known as the Kingdom of Cambodia and once known as the Khmer Empire, Cambodia cuisine is the popular Khmer dish. The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula and belong to the Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Vietnam to the east, Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. Read more about Best time to visit Cambodia to make a plan traveling for yourself.

Angkor Wat

• Angkor is in Siem Reap province, Cambodia’s northern. It is one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. It extends over approximately 400 square kilometres and includes scores of temples, hydraulic structures (basins, dykes, canals, reservoirs) as well as communication routes. For centuries, Angkor was the centre of the Khmer Kingdom. With impressive monuments, several different ancient urban plans and large lakes, the site testifies to a wonderful civilization. Temples in Angkor such as Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm, exemplars of Khmer architecture.
• Inside, Angkor Wat is a temple complex. This is also the largest religious monument in the world, with the site measuring 162.6 hectares. Angkor Wat was built in the first half of the 12th century. It is also the largest monument of the Angkor group. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions and unique sculptures make it one of the finest monuments in the world.

Angkor Wat

 

Royal palace

• The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was built over a century ago to serve as the house of the King of Cambodia, his family and foreign dignitaries, as a place for the performance of court ceremony and ritual. It is as a symbol of the Kingdom.
• Royal Palace serves to this day as the Cambodian home of King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk.

Royal palace

 

National museum of Cambodia

• The National Museum of Cambodia is in central Phnom Penh, on Street 13, next to the Royal Palace. 
• The main activities of the National Museum of Cambodia consist of exhibiting, protecting and promoting understanding of Cambodia’s cultural and artistic treasures. In addition, the Museum attracts visitors through its exhibitions and fulfill its role as an integral part of the community. With the Museum, Cambodia’s cultural heritage is of great value and can provide a source of pride.

National museum of Cambodia

 

Preah Vihear Temple

• Prasat Preah Vihear has the most spectacular placement of all the temples built during the six-centuries-long of Khmer Empire. 
• Preah Vihear Temple is an ancient Hindu temple built during the period of the Khmer Empire romdeng. This temple is located on the Thai/Cambodian border, about 3.5 hours form siem reap. It predates Angkor wat.
• Cambodian and Thailand dispute its ownership so their is armed soldiers located there. UN gave it to cambodians.

Preah Vihear

Please click to see List of Cambodia tourism in my Blog at that link.

The top things to do in Thailand

Thailand is a country on Indochina peninsula and belong to Southeast Asia. Thailand is known well with opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha and tropical beaches and Thailand cuisine which was dubbed the kitchen of the world. The capital is Bangkok – a modern cityscape rises next to quiet canal and riverside communities. Commercial hubs such as Chinatown consist of labyrinthine alleys crammed with stores, markets and diners.

Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun)

Wat Arun,( local name: Wat Chaeng) is located on the west (Thonburi) bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is easily one of the most stunning temples in Bangkok, because it has get riverside location and the design is very different to the other temples which tourists can visit in Bangkok. Wat Arun (or temple of the dawn) is partly made up of colourfully decorated spires and stands majestically over the water.
Given beauty of the architecture and the fine craftsmanship it is not surprising that Wat Arun is thought about as one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand.

Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun)

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

Wat Phra Si Rattanasasadaram, generally called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in English or Wat Phra Kaew in Thai, is a temple purpose-built to house a Buddha image carved from a large solid piece of green jadite.
In the first year of Bangkok rule, 1782, this ground was consecrated and is today Bangkok’s biggest tourist attraction and a pilgrimage destination for devout Buddhists.
The 94.5-hectare grounds encompass more than 100 buildings that represent 200 years of royal history and its architectures.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)

Lanta Animal Welfare (Ko Lanta)

If you are an animal lover, I believe that you will love here. You will spend time with animals. Koh Lanta is a very good place to do that. The Lanta animal welfare center is even listed as the number one activity on Koh Lanta on tripadvisor!
Thai Elephant Home (Mae Taeng)
You can find many elephant camps, but not that many who take care of their elephants as well as here. Thai Elephant Home is limited the number of visitors per day and the elephants usually only meet one visitor a day. This makes the elephants less stressed and more likely to enjoy visitors!
When they are not working, they can go to the river to bathe, just eat and do fun things. The elephants look healthy, happy and genuinely enjoy being with their mahout and people.

Lanta Animal Welfare (Ko Lanta)

Hill tribe villages

Akha, Lisu, Hmong and Karen tribes are found across the north of Thailand. Taking a rest from the tourist path and spend a day or a few nights with a local family to learn and experience their way of life.
Take a look at your guide to hill trekking in Thailand to find out how to meet the locals on the most colourful tribal treks the country has to offer.

The girls of Hill tribe villages

Ayutthaya

In 400 years, Ayutthaya went from a prosperous trade and political capital to a completely destroyed city – plundered, burned and abandoned to ruin. The city was under a constant power struggle with neighbour Burma; nevertheless it remained a flourishing centre for regional trade and a burgeoning metropolis where art and culture merged.
With economic prosperity, Ayutthaya’s Kings poured the kingdom’s wealth into the religious monuments and construction of temples as well as the arts.
Exhibiting sophisticated techniques and styles, Ayutthaya’s architectural heritage is an amalgam of Lopburi, Dvaravati, Sukhothai, U-Thong, ancient Khmer and Persian styles. Now today, Ayutthaya’s temple and palace ruins serve as a powerful reminder of Siam’s glorious past as well as haunting memories of one of the darkest periods in Thai history.

Ayutthaya Thailand

Do not forget that Thailand is a country renowned for its cuisine so please enjoy the Local Foods before you leave Thailand.

The top best foods in Thailand

• We know Thailand is a famous destination in Asia with many nice attractions. Thai cuisine is fresh and fragrant. Thai cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the world.
• Don’t leave Thailand without tasting the following dishes.

Tom Yam Goong

• Tom Yam is probably the most famous Thai soup. Because it is flavourful, spicy, sour and fragrant.
• This is the national aroma of Thailand, thanks to the generous use of kinds of fragrant herb. Lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and shallots provide the memorable smells with fish sauce and chillis. Substance comes in the form of jumbo shrimp (goong) and mushrooms. The flavour of Tom yam goong is a unique tasty of spicy hot and sour and makes for an ideal start to a meal.

Tom Yam Goong

Phat Thai

• Phad Thai, phat Thai or pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish – Thai noodle, commonly served on street and at casual local eateries in Thailand. It is made with soaked dried rice noodles which are stir-fried with eggs, chopped firm tofu and flavored with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, red chili pepper, garlic or shallots and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often chopped roast peanuts.
• Beside, It may also contain other vegetables like coriander, bean sprouts, garlic chives, raw banana flowers and pickled radishes or turnips. It may also contain crab, fresh shrimp, squid, chicken or other proteins. Vegetarian versions may use soy sauce for the fish sauce and omit the shrimp.

Chicken Phat Thai

Thai green chicken curry

• Fresh chicken, Tender bamboo shoots, cherry-sized eggplants, coriander, generous handfuls of sweet basil.
• These humble elements form the body of this seminal curry. In order to it get so gloriously green because of green curry paste that’s stirred furiously into hot creamy coconut milk. Served with fragrant Thai rice, Gaeng Keow Kan Gai is the extreme opposite.

Thai green chicken curry

Yam

• As a side dish or drinking snack, tourists are bound to encounter everywhere in Thailand. Thai ‘salad’ that incorporates meat or seafood with a tart/spicy wearing and fresh herbs.
• A good introduction to the genre is yam wun sen, slinky glass noodles paired with shrimp and minced pork.

Yam wun sen

• Thai dishes are very famous spicy but Thailand desserts sweet and delicious. Tourists usually remember enjoying the local food but often do not pay attention to the desserts or snacks, they are also a paradise cuisine.
• Thai cuisine is spicy and Ho Chi Minh city – Vietnam cuisine is famous sweet. Ho Chi Minh city people are always put sugar into their food. This is a highlight in their cuisine. Let try if you had a Ho Chi Minh city trip in the future.

The top things to do in Laos

One of the most beguiling destinations in the world which cannot be ignored is Laos. This country charm tourists by its solemn pagodas, magnificent waterfalls, unforgettable Laos food also the friendliness of people.
When you come here, don’t forget to do the following things:

1. Visit Pha That Luang

This temple is located in the capital – Vientiane, very attractive and significant. From 1566 until now, the monument still maintain its awesome architecture which has become a symbol of Lao nationalism. The outer part and the interior of the stupa own their particular beauty.

Pha That Luang

2. Old Quarter Luang Prabang

• Laos was always the poor relation of the French colonies in SE Asia, with only a few hundred French nationals resident even in the hay day of Indo China. Hence Luang Prabang has a village feel, especially in the Old Town. Luang Prabang’s Old Quarter– a peninsula surrounded by the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers, nestled between lush green mountains, home to Buddhist temples with a heavy French influence. Of the best cities to wonder through in the early morning Luang Prabang must be near the top.
• The streets are clean, quiet, and bordered by freshly painted and clean shops and houses, many of which are now guest houses and hotels. There is no sense of rush; all is quiet and peaceful.
• A very easy comfortable walk lets you see many old well preserved buildings and the Mekong River. The area is well kept, full of picture opportunities. You are not bothered by wandering vendors.

3. Kuang Si Butterfly Park

• Kuang Si Butterfly Park is a very beautiful and serene environment to spend time and relax. This is a wonderful spot which has and still is being beautifully crafted. If tourists come in November – January come late morning as it is cold and the butterflies need to warm up!
• This butterfly park is also great to walk through on your way up to .

Kuang Si Butterfly Park

4. Buddha Park

• Buddha Park (also known as Xieng Khuan) is a park of sculptures located 25 km southeast from Vientiane, Laos in a meadow by the Mekong River.
  Buddha Park is a famous sculpture park with more than 200 religious statues including a huge 40-metre high reclining Buddha image.
• The best spot for photography here is on top of the giant pumpkin structure standing about three stories high. The entrance is created to look like a demon’s mouth with a stone ladder inside leading to a bird’s eye view of the entire Park.

5. Wat Mai Suwannapumaram

• Along Sisavong Vang Road is the early nineteenth century temple of Wat Mai Suwannapumaram (or ‘Wat Mai’ to most people). The sim of this old temple escaped destruction by the Chinese Haw.
• The most feature of the temple is gilded relief panels covering the front facade. The panels tell the story of the highest incarnation of Buddha – Vessentara. The gilded door frames merge into the relief panel, forming what looks like a monolithic wall of gold.
• The roof of the veranda protecting the panels is supported by black columns stenciled in gold.

6. Elephant Conservation Center (Sayaboury)

• Visiting the Elephant Conservation Center could really be a highlight of your Tour in Laos!
• If you are an Elephant lover, I certainly you will love this place. Here, you will experience one-on-one the power of the majestic elephant. The Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury, is situated in the western corner of Laos, just a few hours drive from Luang Prabang.

Elephant Conservation Center

Laos weather is generally warm all year round. Of course, since Laos is a tropical country. Read Best time to visit Laos before you go!YEAHH In summer of Vietnam, the wind blowing from Laos is considered to be the most annoying because it is hot and muggy. But in Vietnam, there are religions which have climate cool all year round such as: Sa Pa, Da Lat. Especially, Sa Pa is sometimes snow in cold winter. But Sa Pa region is more famous by the character culture of the ethnic minorities such as: Tay, Dao, H’mong…. Having a Sa Pa trip is also interesting.

Taste Khao Piak Sen in laos ( Laos Noodle Soup)

Khao piak sen is a rice noodle soup that is a part of traditional Laos cuisine. It literally translates to wet rice strands. It is a common food that’s great for a cold day.

This’s not really the course official for the morning but very commune in most of area. Materials aren’t rich (pork or chicken broth and white noodle) and the recipe isn’t too complex. This food is high appreciated by local people as well as foreign tourists. It is often made in large batches to eat with a large people group. Khao Piak Sien is a great dish to serve a crowd.

The noodles in Khao piak sen are chewy fresh noodles and add a lot of starch to the overall dish. The noodles are made of tapioca starch, rice flour and water. The noodles cook directly in the broth, releasing starches that give khao piak sen it’s distinct consistency. The noodle soup is garnished with shredded chicken, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, fried garlic, fried shallots, cabbage, lime, fried garlic chili and/or fish sauce when it is served. Bean sprouts are sometimes added.

Khao Piak Sen chicken-( Laos Noodle Soup)

In addition to the Laos main dishes, Laos desserts are also really attractive tourists you should explore.

Lotus Blossom Cookie – A special Thai Dessert

Lotus Blossom Cookie is a dessert of Thailand people. It is easy to make and usually served in big occasions.
A special brass flower shaped mold is used to make Thai cookies that are lovely in appearance and fun to eat. The cookies have a relatively plain flavor, accented by sesame, a little sweet of sugar and mysterious crispiness derived from the slaked lime water.
These are delicious lotus flower blossom cookies. They taste kind of like a fortune cookie and they are a beautiful displayed.  It is great to serve as an appetizer for large family events, baby showers, potlucks, weddings, receptions, parties and any kind of festivities!  They are also inexpensive to make and easy.
Lotus Blossom Cookie tastes slightly sweet, fatty and crispy and it tasted great to go with the cold weather!
Even though you are in  any Thailand season, you should also try this cookie. You can even learn to do it for your family and friends when you come back home. Lotus Blossom Cookie is a past of Thai Food.

Lotus Blossom Cookie – Thai Dessert

If you are wondering which country you should travel in Asia you can refer to my article on Malaysia and other countries in my blog.

The best desserts tourists should try in Laos

Lao cuisine is unlike some others in the region, partially due to its location – it is landlocked and has no trading ports. The staple of traditional meal is sticky rice and its rolled into little balls and eaten with fingers – chopsticks are only for noodle dishes. A typical meal consist of sticky rice, jeow, spicy vegetable dipping sauces similar to salsa. But Laotian cuisine is influenced greatly from Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Local markets are overflowing with chicken, duck, pork, fresh water fish, water buffalo and goat. They also cook with a number of ingredients such as pea eggplants – tiny, bright green eggplants the size of blueberries that grow on branches. They use lots of herbs and try to balance the flavors of their dishes with bitter, salty, sour and spicy things.

Lao Eggplant Dip – Jeow Mak Keua

These jeow recipes are really easy to prepare, and it can be mild or very spicy.
Lao Eggplant Dip – Jeow Mak Keua is made eggplant or garlic bulbs, tomatoes, whole shallots and chili peppers onto skewers, and roasted them right on top of red-hot coals until they were blackened.

Lao Eggplant Dip – Jeow Mak Keua

Nam Vam (Na Va) – Tri Color Drink

Nam Vam is a nice treat commonly served at celebrations and big events. It’s also good on a hot summer day or as a dessert. Traditionally it has multiple parts (color beautiful layers) with different variations and degree of difficulty. It can be as complicated or simple depend on who make it. Boil the Tapioca, drain and add fruit (mango, lychee, …), and diced coconut jelly, kaong, macapuno strings. Put into some honey to coconut milk until sweetened to taste. Nam Vam is quite same to Vietnamese desserts for summer.

Nam Vam (Na Va) – Tri Color Drink

Khao tom

Khao tom is a Laos and Thailand dessert of seasoned steamed sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. this Laos traditional dessert is sweet and savory it hits the spot all time!!
This dessert can be either savory (with pork fat and mung bean inside) or sweet (with coconut milk and banana inside). In Thailand, Khao tom is sometimes colored blue with Clitoria ternatea flowers.
The khao tom variety with black beans is known as khao tom mat .

Khao tom

Lao recipe – meekatee

This is one of three recipes for gaeng naw mai from the cook book “Food from Northern Laos”. Lao recipe uses yanang juice and fresh bamboo shoots. The recipe was recorded in ant egg season (April – May), thus ant eggs and acacia fronds were added. Lao recipe is perfectly fine without the ant eggs. This is a mix of beans, mak buab (or zuchini), squash tendrils, sawtooth herb and Lao basil.

Lao recipe – meekatee

The best foods tourist Must try in Cambodia

Cambodia cuisine or Khmer cuisine is all about the contrasts: salty and sour, sweet and bitter, fresh and cooked. Below are the special dishes of our the selective to introduce to you.

Fried fish on the fire lake

 

In Cambodia, Fresh coconut milk isn’t used every day in Khmer cooking, but it’s saved for dishes served at important occasions.

 

Fried Fish on the Fire Lake is one such dish which is traditionally made for parties or eaten at restaurants in a fish shaped dish.

 

A whole fish is deep-fried and then finished on a hotplate at table in a coconut curry which is made from yellow kroeung and chillies.

 

Vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage are cooked in the curry and they are served with rice or rice noodles. The literal translation of this dish is trei bung kanh chhet, fish from the lake of kanh chhet. There is a green Cambodian water vegetable served with this dish.

Fried fish on the fire lake

Red tree ants with beef and holy basil

Tourists will find all sorts of insects on the menu in Cambodia. But the dish most appealing to foreign tourists is stir fried red tree ants with beef and holy basil.

Ants of various sizes, they are stir-fried with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots and thinly sliced beef.

Lots of chillies complete the perfumed dish, without overpowering the delicate sour flavor that the ants impart to the beef.

This dish is served with rice and if you are lucky you’ll also get a portion of ant larvae in your bowl.

Red tree ants with beef and holy basil

Kdam chaa: fried crab

Fried crab is a special dish of the Cambodian seaside town of Kep. Its lively crab market is known for fried crab prepared with green and locally grown Kampot pepper. Aromatic Kampot pepper is very famous among gourmands worldwide, although it is available in its dried form internationally, tourists will only be able to sample the specially flavored immature green peppercorns in Cambodia. It’s worth to have a visit to Kep and Kampot, but Phnom Penh restaurants bring live crabs from the coast to make their own version of this dish, which includes both Kampot pepper and flavorful garlic chives.

Kdam chaa: fried crab

Nom banh chok: Khmer noodles

Nom banh chok, a favorite Cambodian dish, so that in English it’s called simply “Khmer noodles.”

Nom banh chok is a typical breakfast dish and you will find it sold in mornings by women carrying it on baskets hanging from a balance on their shoulders.

The dish consists of noodles laboriously pounded out of rice, a fish-based green curry gravy made from lemongrass, turmeric root and special kaffir lime.

Fresh mint leaves, bean sprouts, banana flower, green beans, cucumbers and other greens are heaped on top. There is also a red curry version which is usually reserved for ceremonial occasions and wedding festivities.

Nom banh chok: Khmer noodles

Lap Khmer: Lime-marinated Khmer beef salad

Khmer beef salad features thinly sliced beef that is either quickly seared or “cooked” ceviche-style by marinating with lime juice.

Dressed with lemongrass, shallots, garlic, Asian basil, fish sauce, mint, green beans, green pepper, the dish also packs a punch in the heul (spicy) department with copious amounts of fresh red chilis.

A refreshing dish that is more beef than salad, Lap Khmer is common with Cambodian men who prefer beef to be nearly fresh, but at restaurants it’s generally served grilled.

Lap Khmer: Lime-marinated Khmer beef salad

Khmer red curry

Less spicy than the curries of neighbor Thailand, Khmer red curry is similarly coconut milk based but without the overpowering chilli.

The dish includes beef, chicken or fish, eggplant, potatoes, green beans, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass and kroeung.

 

Khmer red curry is usually served at special occasions in Cambodia as weddings, family gatherings and religious holidays like Pchum Ben or Ancestor’s Day where Cambodian people make the dish to share with monks in honor of the departed. Khmer red curry is usually served with bread – a remnant of French culture influence on Cambodia.

Khmer red curry

 

 

Fish amok

 

Fish amok is one of the most well-known Cambodian dishes, but you can find similar dishes in neighboring countries.

 

The addition of slok ngor – a local herb which imparts a subtly bitter flavor, separates the Cambodian version from the pack.

 

Fish amok is a fish mousse with fresh coconut milk and kroeung (a type of Khmer curry paste which is made from lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, galangal, shallots and fingerroot or Chinese ginger).

At upscale restaurants fish amok is steamed in banana leaf, while more local sites serve a boiled version that is more like a soupy fish curry than a mousse.

Fish amok

Tourist can try them in Cambodia restaurants. Some dish you should try in street stores better because they are street foods of Cambodia

The Best foods tourist Must try in Laos

Laos cuisine is the most important activity throughout the day. Cuisine is often the topic of many conversations, especially when eating and sharing dishes between your friends and family. In addition, Laos people take great passion in sharing traditional dishes with curious travelers. Do not leave Laos without taste them in your Laos traveling.

Laos Sausage (Sai Oua)

Laos Sausage is not so different to the famous Chiang Mai Sausage next door in Thailand (Lanna Food). A meat treat which fuses the regions signature flavors with sours of lemongrass and the kaffir lime and the fiery kicks of chillies and galangal fused together with minced pork and pressed into skins. Laos Sausages are often seen drying at roadsides or strung up at local markets. Unlike the Sai Oua of Lanna Thailand food, the Laos Sausage comes served with a tasty dry chilli dip (Nam Cheo) and of course sticky rice.

Laos Sausage (Sai Oua)

Laos Beef Jerky (Sien Savanh)

Laos equivalent to beef Jerky. Not overly exciting but Sien Savanh do make great for nibbling on traveling and are often found at bus stations or pit stops along the way. Sien Savanh are small bites of beef, marinated in dark soy, oyster sauce, pepper, , garlic and palm sugar. Occasionally with sprinkles of sesame seeds. The marinated beef is left to dry in the sun to find the perfect glaze. A quick grilling at roadside street food sellers adds a smoky flavor and the result is a chewy, sticky, bubbletastic beef snack. Sien Savanh come hand-in-hand with a bag of sticky rice and if lucky a spicy tomato chilli dip (Jaew Mak Len).

Laos Beef Jerky (Sien Savanh)

Green Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hoong)

The casual observer might dismiss Tam mak hoong as being the papaya salad seen everywhere in Thailand, or the milder versions eaten in Vietnam or Cambodia. Actually, there’s a bit of controversy as to whether the papaya salad originated in Isaan, in northeastern Thailand or Laos. It is quite same to Nom Vietnam. With salad it is always a fresh dish. I love all of salad dishes.

Green Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hoong)

Minced Pork Salad (Laab Moo)

While famous in Thailand’s Isaan region this fiery, minced pork salad originates from Laos. Easily it becomes one of my favourite foods in Asia and a must try for any visitor to Laos (or Isaan). While Laab moo doesn’t have variations the most popular dish comes with stir-fried minced pork cooked with shallots, chillies, coriander and mint leaves. Salty of fish sauce and sour of lime for seasoning. Laab can be found using raw uncooked meat which I advise against eating strongly. As most of Lao food Laab comes served with sticky rice( Khao Niew) an accompanying staple.

Minced Pork Salad (Laab Moo)

Lao Noodle Soup (Khao Piak Sen)

This top-notch noodle dish is probably the most common of Lao food and it is a staple not so different to Pho which is synonymous with their Vietnamese neighbours. While popular as breakfast Khao Piak Sen is also good for lunch and pretty much anytime of the day. This tasty soup generally comes as Pork belly or Chicken served in like broth over flat rice noodles and flavourings of fresh herbs. Laos noodle soup is often accompanied by optional garnish of chilli oil, lime juice, bean sprouts, long beans, holy basil and cilantro.

Lao Noodle Soup (Khao Piak Sen)

Klao niaw (Sticky rice)

The foundation of all Laos meals, most Laos people prefer sticky rice to regular steamed white rice. In fact that they eat on average 345 pounds of it per person annually, more than any other country. Because sticky rice takes longer to digest than regular white rice, therefor people can go longer without eating, important in an agrarian society like Laos. Expect to see a small woven basket of it at every meal. The rice is rolled by hand into small balls, dipped into food, sauces like jeow, a dry, non-oily chili paste with a bit of buffalo skin mixed in, and eaten with the fingers.

Klao niaw (Sticky rice)

TOP 5 Best bars & Pubs in Hanoi to enjoy at night

In Hanoi, Vietnam; Hanoi’s nightlife offers a multitude of interesting things to see and places to go well after the sun sets. The lively bars and glitzy nightclubs of Hanoi are conveniently set around Hoan Kiem Lake in the Hanoi Old Quarter, where tourists can enjoy great melodies and all sorts of booze as well as mix and mingle with fun-loving locals and expats.

1. Dragonfly Bar and Lounge
(15 Hang Buom, Hoàn Kiem, Hanoi)

Dragonfly Bar and Lounge is a longstanding night spot in the Hanoi Old Quarter that attracts a fairly even mix of young Vietnamese and youthful expats. The music varies between hip-hop and party music and there is space to dance if you get in the groove, although most people prefer to mix and mingle. Perhaps due to the amount of backpackers that frequent Dragonfly, large cocktails are popular here and are noticeably good value. On upstairs to enjoy a shisha pipe with a range of flavors available in Dragonfly bar Hanoi.

Opening Hours: 10:00-23:00 (may open later if busy)

Dragonfly Bar and Lounge

2. Sunset Bar at Inter Continental Hanoi West Lake(1A Nghi Tam St, Inter Continental Hotel, West Lake)

When the hectic nature of Hanoi gets too much, retreat to the chilled surroundings of Sunset Bar at Inter Continental Hanoi West Lake Hotel. Relax on the comfortable daybeds and couches on a chilled-out wooden deck, complete with views overlooking West Lake. This is a superb designer spot to enjoy a cool evening cocktail far away from Hanoi’s crowds. Opening Hours: 16:30-24:00

3. King Pirates Pub
Address: 24B Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hanoi after dark, King Pirates Pub is a good choose for tourist’s entertainment because it is a fun pirate-themed nightlife spot in the Hanoi Old Quarter, featuring a satisfying selection of rum-based drinks, local beers, and house wines. The owners are very friendly and chatty, attracting tourists, local people, and expats to this small yet charming pub.
Opening Hours: Daily 09:00am – 01:00am after day

King Pirates Pub

4. Funky BuddhaAddress: 2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

One of Hanoi’s dancing hot spots, this small, trendy club boasts DJs pumping out house, trance and electronic music late into the night. It often gets very crowded, so be prepared for a little of a squeeze if you want to hit the dance floor. Atmosphere and English speaking staff are great . Pretty cheap drinks and great music! Plenty of travelers and locals come here.
Open: 18:00 to late;

5. Hero club HanoiAddress: 42M Yen Phu, Hanoi

Hero Club Hanoi is an industrial-style nightlife venue where you can dance night away with party loving locals and expats. The establishment is decorated with colourful murals of popular super heroes and propaganda posters, while the DJs booth is set within an old Soviet truck. The music policy here ranges from EDM and deep house to hip-hop and R&B. A ten-minute taxi ride from downtown Hanoi, themed nights with great drinks and international DJs are held regularly at Hero Club Hanoi, resulting in a loud and fun party scene.
Opening Hours: Daily 20:00 – Late

Hero club Hanoi