To Vietnam – Travel + Lifestyle + Architecture Blog

Northern Vietnam Itinerary

Published on April 6, 2026April 6, 2026 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

Last March, my travel squad went on a quick R&R trip to Northern Vietnam. We booked an all-inclusive Four-days tour, arranged for us by Uno Turismo Travel Agency. The cost of the tour was around 34,000 Pesos per pax, including plane fares with Cebu Pacific Air, 3-4 Star-hotels and meals (BLD). Joining pre-arranged tours is such a comforting time for me, as I do not have to prepare as much as to my usual DIY travels. DIY travels may be cheaper; but with pre-arranged tours, I paid for care-free moments and comfort. This Vietnam trip was a complete “pack and go”. No pre-trip research anymore. I did not even bring with me USD Bills (as pocket money). Instead, I exchanged Pesos directly to Vt Dong with our Vietnamese guide, with a better rate compared to the airport money changers. The tour was packed with activities. The best part was the dining. We were brought to nice full service restaurants. Di kami natipid. And we all know Vietnamese food is Good food. Sulit, tbh.

Highlights of the Trip—>Hanoi: The capital city of Vietnam with a rich history, colonial architecture, and famous street food. Ha Long Bay: A UNESCO World Heritage site known for thousands of limestone islets. Sapa: The mountainous region known for cold weather, rice terraces, and indigenous culture.

Day 1 – Sapa Town. We did a soft trekking to Cat Cat village, which is located at Muong Hoa Valley and near the stunning Cat Cat Waterfall. This is an age-old village of H’Mong ethnic group remaining unique customs and practices. We ended the day at Moana Sapa Cafe, a photo-focused destination located near Sapa town center. Tip: Sapa Town is 5 hours away from Hanoi by private bus. Bring a travel pillow.

Day 2 – Fancipan Peak – the highest mountain of the Indochina peninsula (3,143 m), located in the center of Hoang Lien Son range, hence known as ‘The Rooftop of Indochina’. From Sapa Town Center, we took a 10 mins Tram, then a 20 minutes Cable Car ride. We went up around 11 am, and was blessed with a clear panoramic view. Sabi kase fancipan gets really foggy when you go super early. Fansipan is super cold and windy btw.

Day 3: Hanoi City. Vibrant, chaotic and unique. Hanoi has an incredible food and coffee scene. Must try -> pho and bun cha.

Vietnamese cuisine is heavily influenced by over 1,000 years of Chinese rule. But unlike Mainland Chinese, Vietnamese dishes use less flavourings, and adds a bunch of fresh herbs, creating a light and vibrant style of cooking. Common Vietnamese herbs include Thai basil (húng quế), cilantro (ngò rí), spearmint (húng lủi), and sawtooth herb (ngò gai). Other key aromatics are coriander (rau răm), rice paddy herb (ngò ôm), perilla (tía tô), and fish mint (diếp cá), often served raw as a platter.

Day 4: Halong Bay. A UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islets. Halong is 2 hours away from Hanoi City. The cruise was 4 hours, with kayaking and easy caving activities.

Vietnam is VISA FREE for Filipino Tourists.

Here’s a photo of me and the squad. Cheers and to more travels in the future.

Jose’s 10 Best Street Food Moments

Published on November 20, 2016March 22, 2024 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

Ok, dahil kain lang ako ng kain lately, I thought of shortlisting some 10 memorable street food moments and lamons from my recent biyahes around. Nothing super fancy, basta yung mga casual, simple at cheap pagkain lang; nonetheless, authentic pa din. Walang cheeseburger dito ha? So here goes. Enjoy. =)

1.) Pho, Ho Chi Minh (2013): Nung binubuo ko pa lang this compilation, first that came into my mind was the Pho I had from a modest sidewalk set up eatery named Bum Bo Hue, along Bui Vien Street. Sobrang sarap, sobrang fresh ng sangkap, very pretty looking, it’s actually unforgettable. Pho is a traditional beef (or chicken) broth soup ng Vietnam na madaming leafy herbs, usually cilantro or fresh mint. Iba din arrive nya compared sa other Asian soup. Super nice din nung lady owner, that she gave me kakanin. A big bowl was around 50,000 dong ( around $ 2.5 usd, 100 pesos ). This may not be the cheapest, but it was highly recommended by the hostel staff. Typical sa Ho Chi Minh yung naglalatag lang sa sidewalk ng tables and chairs, lalo na pag gabi; sobrang Vibrant ng place.

2.) Authentic Pad Thai, Bangkok (2013): Though madami naman masarap na Pad Thai everywhere, iba pa din when you get to enjoy a freshly cooked set along Rambuttri o Khaosan Road. As such, deserving to ng spot dito sa compilation. Pad Thai is an authentic Thai noodle dish that is mildly sweet and mildly tangy (from its tamarind-based sauce), and usually topped with peanut and drizzled with lemon. This one in the picture is a vegetarian set. Tofu lang yun gamit. around 59 Bhat (100 Pesos)

3.) Poh Piah, Singapore (2013): This may be ordinary for some, pero sobrang na enjoy ako sa Poh Piah na nakain ko dun sa SG. Poh Piah s a Fujian/Chaozhou-style fresh spring roll that is sweet,peanuty and medyo crunchy inside kasi magulay. This is also common in Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand. This one on the photo was around 2 Sgd.

4.) Curry Mutton Balls, Kolkatta (2014): Ito ung first meal ko sa India, kaya memorable kasi sa labas lang to ng public market kasabay yung mga locals, kaya sobrang authentic ng feel. Sobrang flavourful din ng dish na ito. Wag na kayong ano, mahilig talaga ako sa curry. This was only 25 Rupees (Around 25 Pesos), may kasamang Paratha (Indian bread prepared on a griddle, and lightly oiled).

roti — Roti bread with some curry. My First Street food in India

5.) Masala Omelette Sandwich, Delhi (2014): Simple lang, super cheap ,like 25 Rupee (around 25 Pesos) pero sobrang saya ko na dito. Masala is a traditional Indian spice mix. Di ko ma explain ano lasa nito. Alanganin curry, alanganin cumin, basta very pungent. May fresh Onion pa at Coriander combined with the omelette. Overwhelming for some, pero sarap na sarap ako. Common to sa Pajar Ganj. 2x ko to breakfast when I was in Delhi.

delhi masala omelette — Masala Egg Omelette Sandwich . A cheap street food , prepared while you wait, which was good because you get to see how its done. (think fairly clean street food)

6.) Kusum Mutton Roll, Kolkatta (2014): Nabasa ko to noon kay Migrationology.com. Its basically like kebab, only that the grilled mutton stuffing is somewhat curried, and is wrapped with a Paratha (Indian bread prepared on a griddle, and lightly oiled) and walang garlic sauce/white sauce for this; just red onion, onion stalk and light chili sauce. Mga 70-80 Rupees per piece.

cusum roll — the super yummy Kusum Mutton Roll in park street Kolkatta, mentioned by Migrationology.com as one of his 25 best street food in the world worthy of travel. and indeed it is.

7) Souvlaki, Athens (2015): Souvlaki is Greece’s version of Beef Kebab. This one in the photo is from a famous eatery called ‘Thanalis’ in Athens, which is known to serve good wraps. Souvlaki is somewhat more comparable to India’s Kusum Roll, kasi the wrapper is prepared almost the same way. Mas madami lang anik anik itong sa Greek like tomato, red onion, and may potato fries pa, tas may white sauce. Around 3 Euros (150 Pesos) pero generous naman sa size.

8.) Not so traditional Salami Pizza, Rome (2015): Di ko na maalala ung name, nahanap ko lang to sa tabi tabi eh. Sobrang nasarapan ako dito, among all pizza na natry ko dun. May fresh basil leaves to under the salami. 3 to 4 Euros per serve.

9.) Kimbap, Seoul (2015): Kimbap is like Korea’s version of maki/sushi… Only that feeling ko, theirs is more basic, fastfood-ish, and are usually stuffed with ham,egg, cheese and crispy vegetables.And like a typical Korean dish, may this one has a kick of Sesame oil. Common to sa mga subway hawkers around seoul. If you are not into the strong smelling fishcake and the spicy deokbokki, then this is your next best streetfood option in Korea.

10.) Hongkong Style Skewers (2015): Hongkong is also every man’s streetfood heaven. Lahat ng cravings mo on international levels, nandun nah sa streets nila; kaya deserving din to ng spot sa compilation. Among all skewers, itong bacon wrapped sausage ang favourite ko. Basta may bacon, I’ll rest my case. Lol

Bonus: Dessert, beh! =)
11.) Gulab Jamun, Delhi (2014) : Ito ang tunay na masarap! Jamun is a Solid Milk-based Mithai (Indian Sweets). Usually caramelized, minsan meron pang rose flavour, o saffron flavour… kaya nagiging kakaiba na ung taste.

20140327_125725 — Jamun Balls. deep fried sweet milk dough with caramel sauce. Yummy ! 15 INR for 2 piece !

12.) Belgian Waffle, Brussels(2016): Bilang sarado gana, sasali ko sa list this super pretty Belgian Waffle i had near the Grand Place in Brussels. Mejo chewy ung mismong waffle, ganun daw tlga ang authentic. Generous ang topping, and smothered with real white chocolate. Sobrang filling. This one is at 4 Euros, pero good for 2 na to.

Yun lang muna guys. Sana nagutom kayo =)

Ho Chi Minh City for a Day

Published on September 27, 2013May 5, 2014 by iamjosemanuel4 Comments

1. Vietnamese Pho for breakfast

I started my start my day in Vietnam with a bowl of Vietnamese Pho at Bun Bo Hue Restaurant, which was just beside the Backpackers’ place I Stayed in. They serve the best Pho in Bui Vien St., as per the blogs I read . 50,000 dong for a bowl. ( around $ 2.5 usd, 100 pesos ) I ate twice at this restaurant , was really good.

2. Down the memory Lane on foot – Vietnam War Museum , Notre Dame Cathedral , HMC Post Office , Opera House , Peoples’ Committee Hall

HMC Post office.; Built before the WW2, when Vietnam was still under French rule

HMC People's Committee Hall — HMC People’s Committee Hall

3. Vietnamese lunch Buffet

Read Blogs and found this awesome lunch buffet for just 8 USD ! Its on the 5th floor of Park inn Mall , very near the Peoples Committee Hall . Just ask the guard , you wont miss it.

4. Walk the streets

Ban Thanh Market may be the most noted place to buy souvenirs, but items here are quite pricey. I recommend shopping at Saigon Square which is just 3 blocks from Ben Thanh. around 10 mins walk . Small shops along the way are nice to check as well.

5. Highlands Coffee . Just to try, I showed them my highlands Philippines customer card hoping to get some perks. They said they cannot honor the card, but still , they were very kind to give me a promo coupon.. Got a Free drink !!!

6. Saigon Beer to cap the night

Travelling to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Published on September 27, 2013October 8, 2013 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

I was able to book Tigerair ticket for only P 1,500 pesos to Ho Chi Minh from SG ; A good promo deal! I spent 3 days around HMC with no set itinerary ; just walked around the City and checked some particular landmarks , the Market and indulged myself on local food choices . Pure Chillax lang !

Flying to HMC was around 1.5 hours travel from SG . Arrived there just before 9 am. Airport was OK. not much annoying taxi and tuktuk drivers like in other cities I’ve visited.

HMC airport was quite far from the city center, and trains are not yet available. The cheapest way to the city center is by Bus 152 , which is just outside the international airport, at the far right end of the building . Non aircon bus is only 5000 dong . (around $0.25 / 11 pesos ) Its almost an hour travel with a lot of turn arounds, but as soon as i found Ben Thanh Market, I knew I was at the city center already. I hop off at the stop opposite the market and used my google map to navigate my way to Bui Vien St.

Vietnam, as described by many, is a country of motorcycles . Even old ladies dressed with tight skirts dong bother riding the bike.

I stayed at the Cosman Rucksack Inn, along Bui Vien St. , around 15 mins. walk from Ben Thanh Market . (Google Mapping is adviced) 5 usd for a bed/night , Dorm type accommodation. Its clean and cheap, even better than the 15 usd inn I had in SG .

It is quite easy to roam around and get a hold of Ho Chi Minh vibe because almost all of the usually visited spots are at the city center . Getting an accommodation at Bui Vien St. / Pham Ngu Lao area is recommended.