At the end of a perilous dirt track to the east of Dalat, the Tiger Cave Falls seem to have fallen off the city's tourism radar. During our visit, there was nobody else there... and we got the feeling that it's been that way for a very long time.
A long cable car connects the lake of Hồ Tuyền Lâm to the city of Dalat, dropping people off at the foot of Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm, a temple that sits atop a hill overlooking the water.
About 30 kilometers south west of Dalat, are the Elephant Falls (Tách Voi). This unbroken sheet of water crashing down ten meters makes an impressive backdrop... even for wedding pictures.
About a half-hour by motorbike to the southeast of Chau Doc, the square-shaped forest of Tra Su has become a favorite nesting spot for storks and other large water birds. A visit to the water-carpeted park is a popular excursion from Chau Doc, and for good reason.
We've already mentioned the speed with which the island of Phu Quoc is changing. Soon, all of its beaches will be claimed by some luxury hotel or villa complex... but it hasn't happened quite yet. On the eastern coast of the island, we discovered a tiny beach where the biggest construction was a shack selling grilled fish. After enjoying our meal, we headed up to the town of Hàm Ninh.
Just off the southern tip of Phu Quoc, and accessible only by boat, the islands of the An Thoi Archipelago are blessed with pristine beaches, lush forests, rocky cliffs, and incredible snorkeling. We embarked on an all-day boat trip, which took us to four of them.
On the northern coast of Phu Quoc, we discovered a gorgeous beach, totally devoid of other people. After laying down our towels, we stepped cautiously into the water. It was shallow and perfectly warm, but we had to enter extremely slowly, to avoid stepping on the hundreds of starfish strewn about the floor.
Connected to Phu Quoc by a perilous bridge, tiny Hòn Một Island is home to a park with a nature trail running around its perimeter. There's not a lot to do, here, but the views back to Phu Quoc are exceptional.
Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, lays 50 kilometers off the country's southern tip, actually closer to mainland Cambodia. Although it's seen an explosion in tourism in recent years, Phu Quoc remains a relatively unknown tropical destination in the Gulf of Thailand. We spent four days there.
Sadec is famous throughout Vietnam for its flowers, and its nurseries attract shoppers from around the country, especially during the weeks leading up to Tet. We spent a few hours among the colors and fragrances of the town's "Flower Village".
