February 2025 Newsletter: Hoi An, Dalat, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
February may be the shortest month, but Steve and I managed to pack quite a bit into it. We’ve been making the most of our final stops in Southeast Asia. This month, we:
Wrapped up our time in Hoi An, known for its colorful old town and rich history.
Strangely enough, the highlight of our time in Hoi An was a two-day trip to Ba Na Hills SunWorld. We first visited on a tour in January, loved it, and decided to go back for an overnight trip on our own.
Ba Na Hills is the home of the Golden Bridge (the Insta-famous one with two hands seeming to hold it up), but there is so much more to see and do. There are thrill rides, serene gardens and temples, French-inspired architecture, and an onsite brewery (and you can even get free beer!)
Learn all about these things and everything else Ba Na Hills offers in our post: “Love Kitsch? You’ll Love Ba Na Hills SunWorld.” For practical information about the park check out “Is Ba Na Hills SunWorld Right for You?”
Spent two weeks in Dalat, a mountain city bursting with flowers and full of quirky attractions.
We spent hours exploring Crazy House, weaving up and down its stairways, never quite knowing where we’d end up. Then, we got even more amazed (pun intended) at the Maze Bar, winding our way from the basement to the rooftop, drinks in hand.
But the adventure didn’t stop there. The Clay Tunnels kept us captivated for hours, leading us past an eclectic array of larger-than-life sculptures. And I can’t forget the thrill of zooming down the alpine coaster tracks at Datanla.
Through it all, we soaked in the vibrant bursts of flowers that seemed to fill every corner of the city.
And ended the month in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the capital of Vietnam.
We spent most of our first week in HCMC making future travel plans, but did go to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts. After the incredible fine arts museum in Hanoi, we had high expectations—but this one was a huge letdown. One of its three buildings was empty, and the artwork in the others wasn’t particularly impressive. To top it off, the buildings were uncomfortably hot.
We also visited the War Remnants Museum, one of our must-sees in HCMC. It was far better than the art museum, with exhibits covering both the First Indochina War and, more prominently, the Vietnam War.
Steve had quite the adventure shopping in HCMC. He had the address of his destination, but when he arrived, it was the wrong place. Turns out, the same address exists in multiple locations across the city—the only difference is the district.
A helpful clerk offered to book him a Grab, and when it arrived, it was a Grab motorcycle. He hopped on and held on for dear life as the driver sped through the streets to the correct store.
When he got home, he was still buzzing from the experience.
We’ve been in Southeast Asia since August, and while we’ve enjoyed our time here, we’re starting to feel the strain of the traffic and crowds, especially in Vietnam.
We thought Hanoi’s traffic was intense, but at least there, the motorcycle drivers avoid the pedestrians. In Hoi An and Dalat, it’s the other way around, pedestrians are expected to dodge the motorcycles. Every time I walked anywhere, I felt like the target in a game of Whack-A-Mole.
What’s Next?
When our time in HCMC wraps up in mid-March, we’re heading back to Europe! The best part? In just two months, we’ll reunite with our daughters in Munich. That trip includes several days at Therme Erding, the world’s largest thermal spa (which also happens to have an indoor waterpark).
This will be our first time at Therme Erding, but Steve and I have been to Therme Bucuresti in Bucharest several times. You can read about that magical place in “Therme Bucuresti: The Most Beautiful and Relaxing Place in Bucharest.”
Even better, we’re planning to meet up with some long-time friends in Munich. I can’t wait!
But before the fun comes some practical stuff. Both of our passports expire early next year, and since most countries require at least six months of validity, we need to renew them by summer.
We’re working on getting this done in Berlin to avoid a summer trip back to Florida.
That’s it for our February update. I wish you a sunny, flower-filled spring.
Happy traveling,
Linda
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