January 2025 Newsletter – Siem Reap, Da Nang, and Hoi An
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Hello and Happy 2025!
Steve and I had the unique experience of ringing in the new year twice, once on January 1st in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and again at the end of the month in Hoi An for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Our month was filled with adventures across three Vietnamese cities, plus a fun-filled overnight escape to a theme park.
Read on to see where the journey took us!
All money is in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
Wrapping Up Our Time in Siem Reap
We had nine days left in Siem Reap at the start of 2025. Unfortunately, I spent most of them feeling unwell. What started as stomach issues turned into a sore throat and a cold, cutting into our plans to explore more of the Angkor Archaeological Park.
Despite that, we managed to make a few more memories in Siem Reap:
Phare, The Cambodian Circus – Do not miss this if you visit Siem Reap! This intimate circus features jaw-dropping acrobatics, and what makes it even better is that 75% of its profits support an art school. You can learn more about it in this article and in this video.
Visiting a Killing Field Site – We spent time at Wat Thmey, a Buddhist monastery that serves as a memorial to victims of the Khmer Rouge. The site features informative displays with excellent English translations, and a stupa containing the bones of some of Pol Pot’s victims.
Siem Reap Costs
Siem Reap can be done for a lot less than we spent, but we opted for comfort and stayed at Angkor Paradise Hotel, a five-star hotel, for $66 per night.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flight from Bangkok | $200 |
| Accommodations | 1,400 |
| Food | 1,000 |
| Activities | 300 |
| Local transportation | 300 |
| Visas | 100 |
| Total | $3,300 |
| Number of days | 21 |
| Cost per day | $157 |
17 Days in Da Nang
Da Nang wasn’t originally on our itinerary. We had planned to go straight to the Insta-famous Hoi An. But since Hoi An doesn’t have an airport, we flew into Da Nang. While planning the trip, we noticed that Da Nang looked interesting and has more attractions than Hoi An.
We decided to spend seventeen nights in Da Nang, then head to Hoi An for Tet (the Vietnamese Lunar New Year).
My research told me that Hoi An, Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City were the best places to experience Tet. But after seeing the Tet preparations in Da Nang and celebrating in Hoi An, I’m not sure I agree!
We welcomed Da Nang’s cooler weather after four months of relentless heat and sunshine. But cooler temperatures came with cloudy skies and some rain. I spent my first two days recovering from illness, but after that, we got out and explored. Here are the highlights:
A Tour to Ba Na Hills SunWorld – We mainly went to see the Golden Bridge (that iconic bridge held up by giant stone hands). We were so surprised by how much we enjoyed the French Village, amusement park, and enchanting gardens at SunWorld that we booked an overnight stay for later in the month!
A Delightful Dinner – Craving a break from Vietnamese food, we visited the L’italiano Riverside Da Nang restaurant. The food was tasty, but the real highlight was the owner, who entertained guests with songs throughout the evening.
Tet Preparations – The city was decked out in stunning Tet decorations, making for great photo opportunities.
Beach Strolling – Da Nang sits along the South China Sea and boasts over 18 miles (30 km) of sandy beaches. The ones we saw were wide, clean, and had fine sand. Most are less than a ten-minute drive from the city center.
Da Nang Costs
Just like in Siem Reap, we made the most of the lower costs in Da Nang and stayed at another 5-star hotel. We went with the Grand Mercure Danang, and we’d highly recommend it. For just $57 per night, we got a spacious and comfortable room, discounts on food, drinks, and massages, plus free laundry (within a set daily limit).
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flight from Siem Reap | $300 |
| Accommodations | 1,000 |
| Food | 900 |
| Activities | 300 |
| Local transportation | 100 |
| Visas | 50 |
| Total | $2,650 |
| Number of days | 17 |
| Cost per day | $156 |
Ending the Month in Hoi An
We spent the last few days of the month in Hoi An, dodging careless motorbike drivers, planning a return trip to Ba Na Hills SunWorld, and making some unexpected adjustments to our travel plans.
We underestimated the distance to our next stop, Da Lat. It’s a 12-hour drive from Hoi An. We didn’t catch that when we planned the trip, so we had to scramble for a halfway-decent flight and tweak our accommodation bookings. Rookie mistake!
Since this newsletter is already long, I’ll save our Hoi An adventures for next month. Stay tuned!
Travel Experience
Steve and I use public transportation whenever possible. When it’s not practical, we rely on ride-hailing apps like Uber and Grab.
We prefer ride-hailing apps over taxis or street-hailed transportation for several reasons:
Clear destinations: The app eliminates communication issues.
Upfront pricing: You know the cost before the ride begins, with no haggling or risk of being overcharged. Even if traffic delays the trip, the price doesn’t change (though we’ve tipped extra in cases like a traffic jam in Bangkok).
Electronic payment: No need for cash or small bills.
Trip records: The app tracks your journey, making it easy to address any problems.
Two recent experiences reinforced this preference.
The first was in Bangkok. After grocery shopping, we booked a Grab with an 18-minute wait time. Tired and hot, we opted for a nearby taxi instead. The driver didn’t know our destination (the Wyndham near the convention center) and used my phone for directions. He got confused, made mistakes, and blamed us. And he charged us $6.00; a small amount but twice what Grab would’ve cost.
The second one reinforced why we stick with ride-hailing. I left a tote bag and my raincoat in a Grab. I contacted the driver through the app and he returned the bag without issue.
Do you use ride-hailing apps when you travel? Why or why not?
On the Website
In January, I published the December newsletter, shared our 2024 travel costs, and explained why I prefer Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I also updated my post, “The Surprising Truth About Full-Time Travel.”
Affiliate of the Month – ExpressVPN
A VPN keeps your data secure on the road by encrypting it. It also lets you access geo-restricted sites, which is handy for U.S.-based health insurance providers and streaming services.
Learn more about the benefits of a VPN here.
We’ve trusted ExpressVPN for five years and wouldn’t travel without it.
Mojo’s Moments
Travel Tidbit
In January, Thailand made history as the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. Even before this milestone, the country had long been known for its acceptance of transgender ladyboys, who are a visible and integral part of Thai society.
What’s Next?
Our next stop after Hoi An is Đà Lạt, a charming highland city that was developed as a resort town in the early 1900s during French colonial rule. Many of its original French-style villas and buildings still stand, adding to its old-world charm.
Nestled in the Central Highlands, Đà Lạt is known as “The City of Eternal Spring” thanks to its cool, pleasant climate that lasts all year round.
Then we’re off to Ho Chi Minh City—our final stop in Vietnam for this trip. After that, we’re looking forward to six weeks in Japan, two weeks in Europe with our daughters, and a reunion somewhere in Europe with some old friends.
There’s a whole lot of planning goin’ on!
Happy traveling,
Linda
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