So...after a year of planning we are on our way to Cambodia and Vietnam and we are about to finish our first week! I want to thank everyone who helped us and detail how are trip is going. We flew to Siem Reap so I could spend my 65 birthday looking at Angkor Wat. Flew Cathay Pacific and it was a decent flight. Layover in Hong Kong for two hours, then 3 hours to Siem Reap. Stayed at the Chateau d’Angkor la Residence and found it to be nice. On the way in from the airport, you will pass these massive fancy resorts, most like filled with bus loads of Chinese tourists. Not for us. The hotel let us in by 11AM, which was nice, close to the Royal gardens and the Old Market. Ate tonite at La Malraux, just off Pub Street. Very quiet, good food. More to follow.

Days 2 - 4 Siem Reap. As I said the purpose of our trip was to experience Angkor Wat. We booked a two day tour with Happy Angkor Tour and in general I was very happy with them, good guide, showed up on time w/ a Lexus SUV. Better than my car at home! The two day tour was very inclusive, but a word to the wise, I bet every guide does the tour they want to give. The program said the first day was Angkor Thom w/ all that would entail, Bayon, Baphoun, Terraces etc. Then Ta Prohm, then Angkor Wat and finally Phnom Bakheng for the sunset. We didn’t start until about 8:30am, our choice. Samath, our guide breezed us through the ticket process. That was a big help. It’s a little complicated so a guide really helped. Then we started at Angkor Wat, not Thom, and from the Eastside not the Westside. At first I’m thinking, what’s going on, however, if you come in on the Westside in the morning, you are looking right into the sun. Also not a lot of tourists on the Eastside.
Plus the famous promenade is under construction, so you don’t walk on it anyways! Spent 3 hrs at AW and saw a lot. Broke for lunch, obviosly a place the small tours go.

Another word about using a guide, I’ve heard people rent a Tuk-Tuk for the day, come back at lunchtime, then go back in the afternoon. Since we were in an air conditioned Lexus, we stayed on the tour. With cold water and a cold wash cloth after every stop, it was very bearable. After lunch we went to Ta Prohm, now it’s about 3PM, according to the schedule we should hit Angkor Thom, then the sunset, but this is where I think the whole plan starts to unravel a little bit and Ihave to believe it’s part of the guide’s plan. Samath starts talking about how long we have to wait in line for Phnom Bakheng and how hot it will be, etc. So we decide to skip it and leave Angkor Thom for tomorrow. The point is, to get to caught up in the detailed itinerary and think you are going to get it al in. You probably won’t.

Next day up at 4AM for sunrise at AW, awesome, guide found the perfect spot. Then left for Banteay Srei. Genius, got there by 8:30AM, with two cars in the parking lot! Almost had the place to our selves. On the way back into town, must have seen 10 big busses with the aforementioned Chinese tourists. Stopped at Preah Kulen, worth it, and then 2 hours at Angkor Thom. Now it’s 11:30AM and since we don’t want to go to the floating market, the tour is over. So our 2 day tour was actually about a day and a half but still perfect. Next morning, I took. Tuk-tuk to Angkor Thom early in the morning for quality time.

Last night in Siem Reap, we want to the Phare circus. It’ s worth it to support it. Kind of a Cirque Soleil type show, not as good, bit a good cause.

Leaving tomorrow for Phnom Penh

Thanks KTtravel, it was an awesome birthday! Last words about Siem Reap, had some great food, as mentioned, Le Malraux. Excellent dinner at Sugar Palm and lunch at Amok, near the market. We are pretty new to Asia, but my observation is that life is lived outside. The street life is rich, chaotic and plan fun. Always something to see, smell and feel. Sivutha St runs into the Old Market and Pub Street and it is packed with people, makes New Orleans seem like kindergarten, but doesn ‘t feel decadent. Cambodia, or at least Siem Reap loves their neon!! Everyone is selling something, you are barely out of the hotel and someone is yelling Tuk-Tuk? In short, leave the US, embrace the moment and it is fantastic.

Day 5-7 Phnom Penh. We opted to fly to Phnom Penh. Fairly cheap, $244 for two. I would like to say first, that I am reading Jason Molinari’s Trip Report, and we are retired so we are able to stay longer. We didn’t plan on staying in Phnom Penh but many people on this Forum recommended it. We flew in around 4:30PM, probably not great timing. We are staying down by the river and Royal Palace. So, 45 minutes from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, and an hour from Phnom Penh to Phnom Penh. Hard to describe the traffic and I live in LA! It is almost animalistic, scooters, cars, trucks, tuk Tuks crawling all over each other, fighting for every foot of space. Dodging, weaving then we start hitting the city. It’s even more intense, so much activity. Rows and rows of restaurants, shops, we went by at least ten stores selling TVs, then ten more selling sinks! All outside on the sidewalk, I think it’s a sidewalk, it’s so covered with scooters, people, cooking, i’m Just guessing there is sidewalk.

By the time we get to the Queen Grand Boutique Hotel are eyes are bulging like frog eyes. We’ve been inside a car for an hour but we feel exhausted. LOL. Nice hotel, friendly staff but a much smaller room than in Siem Reap. The street is a little funky, by our American standards, lot’s of trash, but there are two very nice hotels side by side, and about 6 massage places. Ate at Kravinh near hotel. OK meal. We are across the street from the Cambodia/ Vietnam friendship statue in a big park and it appears there is an aerobics class going with about 50 people,music blasting. Needed earplugs to sleep, but sleep we did.

I was up early and walked along the waterfront, pretty trashed from the night before but they are cleaning. This is interesting, there are 2 small temples across from the Royal Palace that people give flower offerings to Buddha, but there are so many offerings that the next day, there are three huge dumpsters filled with flowers!

Today we hit the Russian market and the National Museum. IMO, skip the Russian Market and go to the Central Market instead. Personally, it’s the same stuff and the Central Market building is way cooler. National museum was really good. Had dinner across from museum at Muse.

Last full day, Royal Palace in the morning. Quick note, they close it down at 11:30AM and kick everyone out, so we missed going inside the Silver Pagoda. They re-open at 2:00PM but your ticket is good anymore, so the whole time we should have been checking out the Silver Pagoda we were getting zen with a cold Coke.

Sunset at Frangipani Royal Hotel looking at the River, Aspara dance at the National Museum, I would recommend that, although Cambodian Music isn’t as bad as it sounds. Tomorrow, river boat to Chau Doc, Vietnam.

LancasterLad, I know a lot of people want and probably should see the sites you mentioned, but we are staying war free this trip. The really sad thing is that turning 65, most if not all of this stuff happened during my time and I hardly remember it! I got out of the service in 1976, and we were all so caught up in the bi-centenial Vietnam and Cambodia were left in the dust. Typical American amnesia

Day 8 - 9 Start of our Vietnam tour. Based on some recommendations, Crellston for one, we decide to river boat to Chau Doc. There are a number of companies. I went to the office next to the river and reserved for Wednesday on the Hang Chau, a little cheaper than the Blue Cruiser but same boat, I was told by Mr. Savon. He did warn me that it was busy on Wednesday and the boat may leave late. They picked us up from the hotel about a half hour late. And they were busy, in fact the very last Hang Chau boat was completely filled and we were going with Mandarin Cruises. It really felt odd but we went with it. Well the boat was much smaller, and older, and we felt like Mr. And Mrs. Howell with Gilligan and the Skipper. However, there were only eight of us on a boat for 20, so we had a lot of space. I started talking with a crew member, Vien, from Chau Doc. “How long in Chau Doc, what are you doing tomorrow?” Going to Tra Su Forest. “Oh, my brother has a car, he can take you.”

Everyone is looking for an opportunity to make a little side cash! And I’m not saying that as a bad thing. Here is some advice to anyone reading this or planning to go to Vietnam ����, it’s way easier than you are making it, or thinking it will be. I stressed, how do I get tickets for the boat, how will I get there? Believe me you will get there, there are Viens out there who will help you. The courtesy you will experience Is light years beyond anything you will see in the States or Europe.

Today, Vien
picked us up in his brother’s new Kia and for $35 took us to the Forest. Going rate is usually around
$50. We talked about his family, life in Vietnam and had a great afternoon. Chau Doc has been wonderful. Take the boat if your are coming from Phnom Penh. As you cruise down the Bassac River you see all the people on the River bank waving and the kids are the best. My wife and I were singing Proud Mary, Tina version all the way into town!!

Last thoughts about Chau Doc. We are staying Wayne’s Guesthouse. Wayne is a fascinating person, worked in 20 different countries and runs a very nice guesthouse. Best thing this morning, we borrowed bikes, took the Ferry across to the Cham Village and road 3M rectangular route that Wayne recommended. Different style of houses, a couple of real cool mosques, less traffic, and tons of people saying, Hello. Also huge fields of bright green rice. This is what makes traveling worthwhile.

Off to Can Tho on the Futa Bus.

Thanks Crellston! So now we bike through the Cham village on the far bank of Ch u Doc. Very nice and easy, everyone yells hello as we cycle. Probably the only word they know in English, but what better word could there be? Maybe Peace, but I will settle for Hello. Back to Murray’s, Murray has already left on his 36 KM daily bike ride. We need a bus to Can Tho, they ordered one for us the night before. Actually a mini van picks you up and takes you to the big bus station, no extra charge! Can you even imagine having that happen in LA? On the Futa bus, we have seen YouTube’s of these sleeper type buses, but we get a standard bus. Now we expect to drive through bucolic country side with rice and water buffalo. Wrong. For three straight hours we drive through village after village the whole way. No break at all. Struck a conversation w/ Minh, he said the bus goes through the towns because that’s where the people are. Duh. We get to Can Tho, we are quite a ways from Downtown, but they direct us to another mini bus that takes us right to our hotel.
International Hotel on the water front. This whole bus trip cost $8 for two. Hotel is nothing special but we are here about 12 hours. I take a little walk to check in w/ the tour company. A hotel right on the water seemed like a pretty good idea. It’s about 4PM and the street is empty. By 6 it is completely flooded with people! Our hotel is very noisy, but ear plugs do the trick. One last thing about Can Tho, we are sitting on a bench, having a coconut ice cream, when a young woman came up to us, said she was an English teacher, would we talk to some of her students? Yes, of course, all of a sudden we are surrounded by 12 students, all asking us questions, where are we from, do we like Vietnam? It will be something we will remember the rest of our lives!

Just realize I posted twice about bikee ride!!

March 8-9 Can Tho to Saigon. We are taking a two day/ 1 night tour of the Mekong with Hieu Tours out of Can Tho. Seemed a little pricey at $450 for two but they packed a lot in. Picked us up at 5AM for Cai Rang floating market, could have got a tourist boat Can Tho but we were leaving when the mass of tourists came in a 8am. This a wholesale market, if you want to buy a watermelon they will laugh you off the river, 10 - 50 Kilos, let’s talk. Went to a rice noodle factory after that. I know this is for tourists.A lot ofVietnamese tourists actually. Then back in the car to chocolate making factory. This might be legit. Now on to our home stay. Over 20 branches of the Mekong or so it seemed. Home stay is in the middle of nowhere but nice, except for the beds. Made us lunch and just kept bringing Us food.

I’ve picked up a bug. In So Cal we would call it Montezuma’s revenge. I’ve dubbed this the Wrath of Ho Chi Minh! And he’s pissed. My lower Mekong Delta is muddier than the Mekong if I can be so indelicate. I’m miserable! Now it’s time for kayaking. Kayaking is a lot like riding an elephant, it’ far more romantic on paper. Up stream to the Mekong in this muddy dirty water, which I am poring all over my wife and I.

Back to the home stay for cooking class. I keep running to the room and don’t feel
Ike eating anything And it’s really good, I just have no appetite. I don’ t sleep a wink. I’m serious, there was a sign that said John McCain slept here, God bless him. Up at 7 for a bike ride to a coconut factory. Pretty cool. Now in the car for more driving, across every big River, is this the Mekong? A branch, Starbucks should have so many branches.

Next activity, on another boat to brick making factory, honey bee farm, coconut candy, then lunch, Huy our guide takes wrong turn and we walk for ten minutes and he says we missed the turn off.
Finally, rowed through a canal back to our boat to our car. Now two hours from Ben Tre to HCMC.
Good guide, long trip and I’m sick. Arrived at Rex Hotel, super nice for us and hit the most comfortable bed! Glad this day is over.

March 10 - 13 The Fall of Saigon 2019 version. Imagine that iconic picture of the North Vietnamese tank busting down the gate to the Norodom Palace. Now imagine that tank is a parasite knocking down the gate to my immune system! I am sick in Saigon, which is actually the title of my new book! We get into the Rex, classic old hotel and I go right to bed and will pretty much stay there for the next two days. So I can go two ways with this, lament the fact that all the research I’ve done on Saigon, the many miles of streets walked on Google maps is going right down the toilet. Or, I can be happy that the Universe has decided I should be sick in the nicest hotel on our trip in a big city with a water dispensing Circle K every 100 yards.

By the second day wife is sick also. We go to the doctor. Wife has a fever, I’m on the mend’ so he doesn’t prescribe much for me, Azithromycin. I tell the assistant we call that the Z-PAC in the states and he gets a kick out of that. Wife gets 2 rounds of IV anti-biotics, we hole up in the Rex like Sid and Nancy in the Chelsea Hotel, except we don’t OD! Happy Ending.

I won’t add much more about Saigon. Hoi An next

March 14th - Hoi An, we are here for four days. Left Saigon for the airport about 9AM. Elizabeth had her second round of IVs yesterday and the Doc has signed off, but she’s still not feeling great, I am better and try to do as much damage to the Rex breakfast buffet as I can as I haven’t taken advantage of it for two days. ( this is before I read Crellston’s latest post, LOL). Cab gets us there in about a half hour, $7. Riding any vehicle here is interesting. Everyone is constantly hanking, if you haven’t been to Asia you will notice, it is a constant conversation between the multitude of vehicles. It’s not done in anger like in the US, it’s a strange Morse code saying I’m behind you, I’m passing you, I’m going to hit you! It really is unendingly and then lane changes are hilarious. Constant!

Flew Vietnam Airlines, just discovered VietJet, VA was fine. 50minute flight. Hotel sends a guy to pick us up. Guy is late picking us up, first time that has happened. He shows up though and proceeds to make up for being late by driving like a stunt driver for the French Connection.

The beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An is home to every giant corporate hotel chain known to man kind and they are building more. It is super modern, so built up that it is a shock, even I think coming from Saigon. It will be like Miami Beach, where you won’t know there is a beach. Then you hit the marble statue stores. I’m not talking dashboard Jesus statues I’m talking 10 foot tall white Buddhas, Dragons, Pagodas, 1000’s of statues that must come from the Marble mountains

Finally Hoi An, only about 30 minutes away based on how Smokey and the Bandit drove. He drops us off at Ancient House Resort and Spa. I’m excited because there is an infinity pool where you can see water buffaloes from the pool. We get checked in, I walk around looking for the infinity pool. No infinity pool, no buffalo. Well I thought I booked us at Ancient House Village Resort and Spa. I check my confirmation, sure enough, my mistake, but it is a lovely room and the wife loves it.
All’s well. More about Hoi An tomorrow.

Hoi An - March 15th - March 17th
There is a lot of talk about Hoi An on this forum. Is it a tourist trap? Oh God yes! Dozens of stores selling the same product, hundreds of people all trying to get pics of the Japanese Bridge. But is it authentic? My vote is yes. Given that there are what, four Disneyland’s now with some kid in liederhosen saying his name is Horst and he’s actually Todd from Orlando, then yes, Hoi An is authentic. The millions of people who buy t-shirts and banana pancakes, allow the fantastic temples and other historic buildings to remain open. You can find history here and it is pretty amazing in a very interesting setting in an un-authentic world. Don’t like tourists? Bicycle through here around eight in the morning and it is very quiet. We have really enjoyed it, but there are other things to do here.

Took. the hotel shuttle to An Bang beach and chilled for most of the day on a really clean but busy beach, but after Hoi-an last night, it was quite relaxing. Started the morning riding bikes through the rice fields. Finally saw my water buffalos, lot’s of them actually. They city is clean, great places to eat and yes it’s a tourist trap, but then so is the Corn Palace in South Dakota. No Starbucks here, not sure if there is one yet at the Corn Palace?

One more day in Hoi An then off to Hue.

March 18th - Trip to Hue. Took my early morning bike ride through the rice fields out toward the beach and back to the hotel. Driver picked us up at 10AM. Booked the driver through our hotel in Hue, Scarlett Boutique Hotel. Did a little checking around, the going rate for a private car is about $60- $65. It is advertised as a drive with stops at Marble Mountain, My Khe Beach, Hai Van Pass and Lap An Lagoon. Driver announces once in the car that it is 3 hours w/o stops or 4 with stops. It’s pretty evident he is pushing the no stop trip! Marble Mountain, too expensive you can see pagodas in Hue for free! He does stop long enough for me to get a couple of shots of the e
levator and some statues. No stop at the beach. I make the mistake of asking where China Beeac is and we get a brief lecture about how Vietnam hates China. Stop at the top of Hai Van pass, It is a crazy place. Traffic stops, tons of buses and trucks and motos! He does stop at Lap An for photos. Long of the short we end up in Hue in 3 hrs.

We are staying at Scarlett Boutique. Most of the places I have mentioned are not endorsements but this place is great. Small, compact rooms, we walked in and felt like we are in Paris. Went out for a walk around the neighborhood, a little late lunch and back for a nap. We are on the South Side of the river on Ben Nighe. This is a great place to stay, easy walking to food and drink. Longer to the Citadel. Taking a city tour tomorrow.

Thanks Progol! More on Hue coming up. We are feeling better, although now we have the sniffles, but we are plowing on.

March 19th Today we took a Hue city tour. We’ve taken a few of these tours before, one to Chiang Rai a few years ago that shoved 16 people into a van and stopped at a lot of tourists places. This one will have a pagoda, two tombs, the Citadel and river boat trip plus lunch. All in all it wasn’t bad, I will have to do the Citadel tomorrow because we won’t have enough time there for me. Minh Mang’s Tomb has great grounds, very peaceful. Khai Dinh’s is over the top. There is historical talk that he was gay, and I think I saw a carving of Judy Garland in his tomb. It really is spectacular. The Citadel is very interesting to me. My wife says I love bricks and there really are some great bricks. The tour goes from 8AM until 4:30PM, our guide Danny actually went to school for tourism and does a good job. Had dinner tonite at La Carambole and it was very good. We’ve stayed pretty much in our quarter near Ben Nighe street and the river and there are an amazing amount of white people. This must be where a lot of people on tour stay. Hue is a really nice city with a great park along the river front. If you are planning a Vietnam tour, I think it’s definitely worth 3 - 4 days.

March 20th - back to the Citadel for me. I can’t get enough of it. Walk to the Citadel, cross the bridge over the Perfume River in the morning and then through this small shaded street next to the moat across from the Citadel wall. This is what I love about traveling, seeing a city wake up. I don’t know if I’m repeating myself but everything is bigger than you expect, it has all stretched out from whatever used to be the city center to miles of shops and houses and communities. Hue, is no different in that regard.

Ran into one of my tour buddies from yesterday, she needs more Citadel also! After about 3 hours, I’m done. We have lunch at a local place called Hanh, great lunch, $4. After lunch we visit Te Hieu pagoda where Thich Nat Hanh, (wrong spelling) is. Walk around the streets at night and then pack for Hanoi. I’ve really enjoyed Hue. Our hotel staff are the best has have most of the staff been. A little stuffy at Rex, but that could be expected, big hotel, big city. Leaving early for Hanoi.

March 21st - On to Hanoi. We are told that the airport in Hue was built by the Americans during the war. It’s only used for in country flights. We run into our 4th or 5th Gate 1 tour. I only mention this because we took a Gate1 tour a few years ago and we are so glad we did this trip by ourselves. No negative comment about Gate 1 but independence is very rewarding in Vietnam. Quick flight. We don’t see any town when we land. There has been a haze over the country for the last few weeks. Hoi An, Hue and now Hanoi all have it. We’ve tried to ask about it, but no one gets what we are asking! We have a great driver on the way to the airport in Hue, which is why the landing in Hanoi is so strange. Our guy is there with our name, grabs bags, runs for the car. Loads us up, I say Hello...and nothing, not a word. My wife and I look at each other in the car and go, okay? We drive on a big road for about a half hour. Not a lot of traffic, no honking, it’s really weird. It’s so calm and. Little bit spooky. After a while we get into town and it still is quiet? The incessant honking is not present, it kind of feels like we are in a ghost town! We get to our hotel, the driver says,”here”, dumps us off and leaves us. Staying at Hanoi Pearl, just behind the lake. It’s a quiet street and it does remind us of Paris. Except for the massage/ spa at every other business. I swear I see a Circle K and Spa.

this is my assumption and not based on a complete study, but people aren’t as friendly here. We go get a coffee on the lake, say Hi to the woman seating us and she completely ignores us. And it is quiet here. Unlike any place we have visited yet. Traffic is crazy, crossing the street is busier than HCMC, But we survive.

Go to the Thang Long Water Puppet show. You have to do to it somewhere and Hanoi may be the best. Walking around the lake at night is the best. People line dancing, strolling, it’s not all neoned up here like other cities, but the Red bridge is lit up. I really like Hanoi, but there is something subdued about it. Am curious if others have felt this.

March 22 - I get up early usually when I am traveling but haven’t done that this trip because of so many early morning activities and early flights. I do get up early this morning and walk for about 1 1/2 hours. Hanoi is still overcast, a little cooler than south but not much. I walk into the French quarter and you really see the influence in the big streets and French looking buildings. I’m getting a cold which is effecting my attitude which is not cool. We have breakfast and take a walk around the
lake. Stop across the street from the Opera and we could be in Paris. Next we go to the Natl Museum of History and it’s 12:45. It ‘s closed until 1:30pm. This is one thing that steams me about Vietnam, they close everything down at noon, I guess for lunch. It’s hot, I’m sick and cranky, major attitude, screw Vietnam History, I saw Platoon and Good Morning Vietnam, I know enough about it, I’m not waiting! And you know what? They could have cared less. LOL.

Because I am sick, nothing, food wise looks good. We actually have Pizza ��, maybe better tomorrow​​​​​​.

March 24th - Take a taxi to the Temple of Literature. I ask the guy how much? 70k dong. I have nothing to compare it with. He takes us there, and the meter, which I have been watching says 38k. He says 70k, I point to the meter and say, look, it says 38k! He says no,no. We get out and I give him a 50k and he drives off. Interesting thing, in the South, everyone has told us they will try to rip us off in the North. Other than this I haven’t experienced it, but it may have clouded my perception.

Temple of Literature is great, it’s a beautiful setting and today seems to be graduation day. A young woman tells me it’s for Masters Degree. Plus there are about 4 or 5 big school groups walking through in there uniform. When they see us, they all start shouting, Hello! It is really fun and we are waving at them. Then a young girl, 8, comes up to practice speaking English. She only knows a few sentences then we notice her Mom is filming on her IPhone.

Next stop is the Museum of Fine Art, right across the street, I would recommend doing these together. The art is good, but it will really hit you that almost everything produced in the 60’s has a war them. Can you imagine if war had been the only thing you knew for 40 years?

Walked home stopped at a cafe for lunch. Later that night I saw the waitress walking with her boyfriend by the lake and we had a moment! A second of recognition then gone. I wonder what her life will be like.

Packed for our train trip to Ninh Bình tomorrow, but did one last quick trip around the lake. Fri, Sat and Sunday is walking night in Hanoi and they block off the streets around the lake. It is a Carnival. Plus there is a night market. I run into a kid from Italy, who had been on our boat down the Mekong!
God I love traveling!!

Hey Crellston, it’s kind of like everyone in the North is from Chicago. No bullshit and kind of tough. After going through the Art Museum and seeing all the war art I’m going to give them a pass.

March 24th ( wrong date on post 32). Train trip to Ninh Bình, so far we’ve flown to Phnom Penh, took a boat down the Mekong, Bus to Can Tho, number of shuttles but first train trip today and it was great. We had to walk a few blocks to get a cab because the street in front of our hotel is closed for walking day. Cabbies don’t speak much English in Hanoi, by the way so it’s best to have an address with you. I say take us to the “train” station but it’s not registering with him, but then he types into Google, Railway station? Yep that’s it. Charges me a very fair fare of $35K restoring my faith in humanity and taxi drivers.

Get to the Train Station and the board says we can board at three different gates, because a train is long!A guy in a uniform says it is best at 3C, so that is where we go. By the way, they love uniforms in the North as much as they love neon in the South.
Meet a young woman from Italyon the trAin. She’s been in Bali for 6 months on Vietnam for a couple of weeks. It’s so mind blowing to an American with a petty two week vacations to hear someone say they are traveling until...Until what? Just until.

Arrive in Ninh Bình, driver there and he takes us to Hang Mua Ecolodge, where we will stay for two nights. Has anyone been there? Hard to explain, it’s there because of a Mua Cave and a 500 step hike up to a Pagoda and look out spot. It is surround by the lushest rice fields and karst formations. Beautiful! Then someone said, how can we make this more like Vegas, and that’s what they did. There are fake horses, goats, a koi pond, bridges,stepping stones. A swing set shove the neon lights. It is crazy, the promo literature actually says that it is the premiere destination for selfies!and that’s the crowd they are drawing and it is packed. Luckily we are three stories above it and everything winds down about 5:30PM And we have the place to ourselves.