Holly Hits The Road Travel

08/03/2025

For years I have been hearing about this 3-4 day motorbike loop through Northern Vietnam called the Ha Giang Loop. While I had never been on a motorbike before, I knew that this was something I HAD to do. So I planned the Trip.

We opted for the 3 day 2 night option with .hagiangloop , due to their small group sizes and excellent homestay options. Their tour, guides, drivers, food, and homestays exceeded my already very high expectations or this adventure ♥️ shout out to our guide Peter!

Words and photos cannot even come close to expressing the beauty of this place and the local people.

07/25/2025

Ninh Binh is a naturally stunning area of Northern Vietnam. Many people choose to explore it via day trip from Hanoi. However we chose to spend a couple days enjoying this peaceful area.

A must do is taking a row boat ride from Trang an through the UNESCO recognized area complete with caves, towering rock formations and many temples. These tours typically take around 3 hours.

Many people also enjoy hikes to unique temples, the bird preserve.

My favorite was the ancient town of Hoa Lu, which exceptional at night all lit up. Surrounding the lake and temple there are many restaurants and shops as well as night markets.

In order to get around this area we rented a motor bike which made it easy to see everything and explore at our own pace!

07/23/2025

One of my favorite stops in Vietnam was Hue: The Imperial City.
Hue was Vietnam’s last Imperial city and a center for culture, history and natural beauty.

This city is full of Historical Treasures including the Palaces, gardens and throne rooms of former Emperors.

The Perfume River runs through the city and connects the modern city and the imperial city to the grand tombs of former Emperors and pagodas.

Not to mention Hue is home of some of the best cuisine in the country. My favorites are Bún bó Hue: a rich and aromatic beef noodle soup & Salt coffee.

07/16/2025

Da Nang makes a perfect day trip from Hoi An. Da Nang is a major modern city with top tier beaches, as well as several cultural monuments.

We took a guided tour from Hoi An which took us to Marble Mountain & Monkey Mountain.

Marble Mountain is made up of several caves & Pagodas. The first and lowest cave is called Hell cave where they have shrines to Hell Buddha and depict the levels of hell as you descend. People make offerings to buddha to help encourage reincarnation out of hell entirely.
Afterward you take an elevator to the top of the mountain which is covered in pagodas and statues dedicated to the different forms of Buddha. You can walk through these caves and emerge at the very top of the mountain through heaven’s gate (after a little bit of climbing)

Nearby we stopped at a marble workshop where you could see all the incredible sculptures that the marble from the mountain has been transformed into.

Monkey Mountain: Monkey mountain is not only home to Monkeys but also home to the largest Lady Buddha in the World. The views from here were incredible and we loved watching the Monkeys play.

Afterward we stopped at a local restaurant for an authentic meal- which of course was amazing!

07/03/2025

One of my favorite day trips from Hoi An is My Son Sanctuary: an architectural site which allows you to wander through ancient Champa temples that were once lost in lush jungle. You can also witness the impact of passing civilization and conflicts on the ruins complete with bullet holes and bomb craters.

We went super early to beat the heat and the crowds and it was well worth the early morning wake-up call.

07/02/2025

While Hoi An is incredible during the day. The Magic really comes alive at night. We were lucky enough to be there during their full moon celebration & night market. We took a lantern boat ride and floated our wishes down the river. We also were there to celebrate Buddha’s birthday with a parade through the old town.

In addition Hoi An is full of fun themed bars and night markets.

06/29/2025

We spent 4 days in the Ancient town of Hoi An, a former major port and trading hub. there is so much to do here during the day, including coffee making classes, coconut boat rides, traditional pottery village, incredible food, beautiful beaches, and custom tailored clothing.

It also works as a great home base for day trips to DaNang, my son temple, Marble Mountain and Bana Hills to name a few.

While we spent 4 days here we could have spent many more.

If you think it is charming during the day, just wait until night falls!

06/20/2025

UNESCO recognized Ha Long Bay is a must see for mqny people due to it’s natural beauty. It has become very popular over the years due to its proximity to Hanoi. But did you know there is an alternative. If you drive a bit farther north to Cat Ba Island you reach Lan Ha bay. Which has access to all the same beauty but eliminates much of the crowds. We took a day trip that took us through Cat Ba Island, allowed us to bike through the filming locations of king kong Skull island, float through a local fishing village, kayak through the bay, and slide into the bay with our boat’s waterslide. It makes for a long day, but VERY worth it!

06/16/2025

Our first stop in Vietnam was it’s capital City of Hanoi. Hanoi is so beautifully chaotic, and is buzzing with life and culture. The food is incredible, the history is rich, and the people are kind.

I was so blown away by this city and hope to return soon!

06/09/2025

I have recently returned from a 20 day trip to South East Asia. My fist stop was Hong Kong- where we turned a layover into an opportunity to see a bonus city!

We had 24 hours in Hong Kong, so we were able to get a good nights sleep after a 16hour flight and enjoy the ngong ping cable car and village. Before continuing our journey to Vietnam.

We enjoyed some fresh Congee for breakfast and continued to the Ngong Ping cable car which took us through the clouds and to the towering Giant Buddha statue, buddhist temples and historical village of Ngong Ping.

Such a cool experience and it is close to the airport, so it made for the perfect excursion!

Utilizing long layovers is my favorite way to squeeze in extra destinations for less!

05/21/2025