Travel

Most travel blogs are very same-same. It’s the same regurgitated and tired lists of “wonderful” places to go, and “amazing” things to see. Well I’ve been to those places, I’ve seen those things, and I’m un-impressed…

Social Media is Fueling a Narcissism Epidemic

Nobody is enjoying themselves. You don't enjoy yourself because you live your life through the eyes of others. This is the age of the false self. Social media is often blamed for fueling negative mental states, including rampant narcissism, but it didn't start it off. Social media is the crack version of a cocaine that's been consumed for quite sometime...

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Karaoke – The Scourge of Vietnam

Karaoke – The Scourge of Vietnam Read More »

picture of travel blogger Geena Truman covered in multi coloured dust

Blogger Thinks Digital Nomads Are Ruining Travel

Geena Truman wrote a "hit piece" on all Digital Nomads for Lonely Planet. As a travel blogger, and "real traveller", she believes she is the right kind of traveler, and nomads are ruining ethnic landscapes across the world.

Digital nomads are cringe, and they do swan about looking for yoga vegan cafes, yoga centres, and ayahuasca friendly co-working spaces, but traveler are just as annoying.

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picture of planet rebus and dead faring logo "boomer boom-boom vlogs"

Dead Farang – Naughty Boomer Travel Vloggers

Dead Farang – Naughty Boomer Travel Vloggers Read More »

VIETNAM-BEAT-COVID-THREE-TIMES

How Did Vietnam Beat Covid Three Times?

How Did Vietnam Beat Covid Three Times? Read More »

Hai Van Pass to Elephant Springs – A Road (Man) Trip

Hai Van Pass: It's apparently the prettiest place in all Vietnam, we'll see about that! And Elephant Springs has no elephants, but is also rather pleasant on the eye balls. Well, we'll see about that n all.

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big-lady-buddha-danang

The Big Lady Buddha of Danang

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The Big Lady Buddha of Danang

big-lady-buddha-danang

Sometimes, you just gotta do the touristy things.

The Lady Buddha of Danang is located inside the Linh Ung Pagoda courtyard on the Son Tra Peninsula, around 8km from where I stay in My An, Danang. She stands at around 220 feet tall and is one of the most famous attractions in Danang as well as holding the prestigious title of being the tallest Lady Buddha in Vietnam (I do not know who the second tallest is, but I imagine she is a little salty). The Lady Buddha looks out onto the sea and is said to bring peace and protection to the local sailors.

I had been meaning to visit the Lady Buddha for quite sometime, but like Christopher Moltesanti and the Volcano near Naples, I had never gotten around to it. However on a very hot day in late June, I finally made the journey to see the grand Lady Buddha and see what all the mild fuss was about. This was not my first experience of visiting a big Buddha, but it was my first encounter of a big lady Buddha…

  • Opening Times: unlisted (and unsurprising)

    You can visit all day long as far as I am aware.

  • Best Time to Go?

    There are less tourists there in the afternoon, but you will have to deal with the afternoon heat. Sunsets there are amazing, so aim to get the sites done by around 18:00 and enjoy.

  • Things to Be Aware Of?

    There's a lot of monkeys there. If, like me, that's your thing, all good. If not, proceed with monkey caution

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The Heaven and Hell Marble Mountain

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The Heaven and Hell Marble Mountain

The Heaven and Hell Marble Mountain

The Heaven and Hell Marble Mountain

With a hell cave below, and a heaven garden above, it's the perfect yin-yang day out!

The Marble Mountains are located around 9 km from Da Nang city and are one of those attractions that frequently touted as “must see”. There are five mountains in total and they are named after the five basic elements in Eastern philosophy: Mount Metal, Mount Plant, Mount Water, Mount Fire and Mount Soil. The mountains are steeped in interesting history, but it’s the legend of Marble Mountain that I like the best (being half Welsh I got a lot of time for dragons). Many many years ago, when times were simpler and man was rugged, a rather large dragon rose from the oceans and laid an egg inland. The egg grew to a gigantic size and when it eventually hatched after a thousand years (ancient dragons were known for a very long incubation period) it left behind five fragments of egg shell which formed, yes you got it, the Marble Mountains.

I visited the mountains with my better half, so she says, during the Tet holiday and the beginning of the covid pandemic. It was not as busy as expected and we spent most of our time on top of Mount Water, which is the mountain where you should spend most of your time, and inside the Hell Cave. I was unaware that the cave was called the Hell Cave at the time, and I would go on to label my experience “the heaven and hell mountain”. 

  • Opening Times

    07:00 am to 17:30 pm

  • Cost of entry

    Mount Water: 40,000 VND

    Hell Cave: 40,000 VND

    Elevator fee (we didn’t use it, but you may want to give it a go!): 15,000 VND

  • Best Time to Go?

    Anytime during the pandemic! But usually it gets quieter later in the afternoon.

  • Things to Be Aware Of?

    You have to pay to use the elevator to go both ways. You can get to the heaven top of mount water for free through the hell cave, but it's literally hell (as you can see in the video). This is at your own risk!

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