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

    My most memorable stay of 2019 - Mu Cang Chai Ecolodge, Vietnam

    Yen Bai Blog

    My most memorable stay of 2019 - Mu Cang Chai Ecolodge, Vietnam

    As 2019 ended, I thought about the dozens of places I stayed in my months of travels. It struck me that me that my most memorable stay of 2019 was at a place that cost less than... more

    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... 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

    RECENT REVIEWS

    Au O Vietnam Kitchen, Hanoi

    Hanoi eating

    Au O Vietnam Kitchen, Hanoi

    Hanoi is upping its Vietnamese restaurant game right now and Au O is part of the trend. Located in the city’s French Quarter around 500m from the... more

    Hanoi

    Hanoi Introduction

    Hanoi

    Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, can make a strong claim to being one of Asia’s most compelling and beguiling cities. The tangled streets of the old... more

    Parks of Saigon - green spaces and walks

    Ho Chi Minh City see and do

    Parks of Saigon - green spaces and walks

    A guide to the best parks, public spaces and green spaces in central Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City. We visit Tao Dan Park, the Zoo and Botanical... more

    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. THE ONLY ONES THAT... 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