Rusty Compass - an independent travel guide to Cambodia and Vietnam
Travel guides
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Vietnam
Cambodia Travel guides
Laos Travel guides
Vietnam Travel guides
         
         
         
Travel guides

    Travel guide to
    Cambodia · Laos · Vietnam

    handpicked · independent

    From the archive: The Last President's Driver

    Photo feature

    From the archive: The Last President's Driver

    This man, Cu Thach Banh, was the driver for South Vietnam's last President, Duong Van Minh. I met... enlarge

    FEATURES

    Remembering General Giap's passing 6 years on

    Hanoi Video

    Remembering General Giap's passing 6 years on

    Vo Nguyen Giap is the most celebrated modern military figure in Vietnam. He led the defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 ending almost a century of colonial rule and... more

    Is the tide turning against heritage destruction in Vietnam?

    Ho Chi Minh City Blog

    Is the tide turning against heritage destruction in Vietnam?

    The past decade has been devastating for Vietnam’s built heritage. Three recent decisions suggest that the tide may be finally turning in... more

    The other remarkable thing about Pu Luong Vietnam? No piles of plastic

    Pu Luong Blog

    The other remarkable thing about Pu Luong Vietnam? No piles of plastic

    Pu Luong, around four hours south of Hanoi, looks set to become the “next’ destination in Vietnam’s breathtaking mountainous north. And... more

    One of Vietnam's most historic churches faces demolition

    Hanoi Blog

    One of Vietnam's most historic churches faces demolition

    Vietnam’s three decades of rapid economic growth have not been so good for the country’s built heritage. The distinctive Bui Chu Cathedral... more

    Vietnam in the 1990s - Qantas returns to Saigon

    Ho Chi Minh City Blog

    Vietnam in the 1990s - Qantas returns to Saigon

    In December 1990, I was aboard the first post-war Qantas flight to operate between Australia and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). It... more

    Vietnam's first international tourism campaign - from 1991?

    Hue Blog

    Vietnam's first international tourism campaign - from 1991?

    I’m gonna hazard a guess that this was the first post-war Vietnam tourism promotion in a Western country. It was 1991 and Vietnam was just... more

    Introducing a special new tour by Rusty Compass - Vietnam by the Book

    Hanoi Blog

    Introducing a special new tour by Rusty Compass - Vietnam by the Book

    It's more than 25 years since I ran my first tour through Vietnam. After a long break from leading tours, I now head back out on the road... more

    RECENT REVIEWS

    Train Street - Hanoi

    Hanoi see and do

    Train Street - Hanoi

    IN EARLY OCTOBER 2019, HANOI AUTHORITIES MADE A DECISION TO CLOSE THE CAFES ALONG TRAIN STREET IN LIGHT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. more

    Craft beer - Saigon's craft beer scene

    Ho Chi Minh City nightlife

    Craft beer - Saigon's craft beer scene

    If you love your craft beer, you’ll feel right at home in Saigon. Vietnam is the largest beer drinking nation in South East Asia and Saigon now... more

    Breakfast in Saigon - our picks

    Ho Chi Minh City eating

    Breakfast in Saigon - our picks

    Where are the best places to grab breakfast in Saigon? This is our handpicked collection of the best Saigon breakfasts from smashed avocado for the... more

    Casa Italia Restaurant, Hanoi

    Hanoi eating

    Casa Italia Restaurant, Hanoi

    Part restaurant and part showroom for Italian luxury brands - Maserati, Vespa and Armani - Casa Italia is located in a grand colonial-era villa in... more

    Tam Vi Restaurant, Hanoi

    Hanoi eating

    Tam Vi Restaurant, Hanoi

    Delicious Vietnamese cuisine - the stuff Vietnamese eat rather than a hybrid for tourists - in a cool design space. These places are rare in Hanoi.... more

    Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

    Hanoi see and do

    Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

    An early morning or late afternoon spent wandering around legendary Hoan Kiem Lake is a perfect way to start or end any Hanoi day. The lake is the... more