Introduction

Yen Bai

Many photographers view the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai, in Yen Bai province, to be the most...
Blog

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

As 2019 ended, I thought about the dozens of places I stayed during my many months on the road. It...
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...
Introduction

Phong Nha

The declaration of Son Doong as the world's biggest cave in 2009 put Phong Nha - Ke Bang National...
see and do

Cycling the Angkor Temples

If you like cycling, exploring the temples of Angkor by bicycle is a delight. In fact, we reckon...

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

Sydney Blog

2020 - The COVID year in travel

How do you make sense of a year like 2020? There were lockdowns, travel was wiped out globally, there was political chaos. I had a few unexpected personal challenges too. My... more

Sydney Blog

Parramatta's neglected heritage - the Female Factory

Parramatta was at the centre of the development of the British penal colony in New South Wales from its beginnings in 1788. It was also at... more

Cao Bang Introduction

Cao Bang

Vietnam's far northern provinces are the most unique and beautiful in the country. Some of these places receive large numbers of... more

Blog

An unexpected Rusty Compass journey - an aortic dissection

2020 has been a crazy year for everyone. For most of us (except Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and other tech titans), it's been a year of... more

Ho Chi Minh City Blog

Vietnam and the coronavirus - an unreliable travel guide

This is a rolling blog of updates on the coronavirus COVID-19 in Vietnam and how it is impacting travel in the country. As of this update... more

Yen Bai Introduction

Yen Bai

Many photographers view the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai, in Yen Bai province, to be the most spectacular in Vietnam. This vast region,... more

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 during my many months on the road. It struck me that my most memorable stay... more

RECENT REVIEWS

Sydney see and do

The Rusty Compass guide to the best things to see and do in Sydney is under construction. We'll be adding our listings of favourite things - tours,... more