The Travelista

A 6 Week Itinerary for Vietnam & The Philippines

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After months of emails, meetings and planning, I am so excited to finally share the details of my upcoming adventure – and let me tell you – it’s a biggie! On the 6th September my boyfriend Scott and I are embarking on an epic 6-week adventure. Here’s my 6 week itinerary for Vietnam & The Philippines…

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The Reason

Believe it or not, I’ve never been ‘travelling’. I know that sounds silly as I fly around the world frequently, but by ‘travelling’ I mean slower, deeper travel where you carry your life in a backpack and can be away for weeks, months, years at a time. The type of travel that really allows you to get under the skin of the city or country you’re in. Don’t worry, this isn’t a quarter life crisis. I’m not yearning to go and ‘find myself’, but I suppose I am yearning to travel on my own time, on my own path and with the person that I love. It will make such a difference to the fast-paced, jam packed whirlwind adventures that I am used to.

When I travel for the blog I often fall in love with destinations I visit, but I also feel frustrated as I only ever have time to scratch the surface of each place (travelling to the other side of the world for only 3-4 full days is pretty common for me). So I suppose I am craving the time to go somewhere and soak up the atmosphere, watch passers by, talk to locals and collect tonnes of authentic and genuine tips to bring back and share with you guys.

Whilst Scott and I are between flats (and Scott is between jobs), we figured it was the perfect time to make the most of our freedom. Scott has lived in Australia for a year, but this will be the longest I have ever been out of the UK.

The Partnership

As part of this trip I am going to be exclusively partnering with luxury travel giants Kuoni, to deliver a multi-destination content campaign. As part of the campaign, I’ll be staying at Six Senses Nin Vanh Bay in Vietnam and the Shangri La Borocay in The Philippines. Both resorts look beyond idyllic and I can’t wait to experience them both with Kuoni. As part of the campaign I’ll be delivering a mix of social media, blog post and video content, so I hope you all follow along!

The Route

I’ve spent a lot of time talking to people that know both Vietnam and The Philippines well and from a mish mash of recommendations we have decided on the following route. It’s not set in stone, but the route definitely has to include both of our Kuoni hotel destinations.

Fly into Hanoi > Halong Bay > Sapa > Hanoi > Hue > Drive down the Hai Van Pass > Hoi An > Nha Trang (Nin Vanh Bay Six Senses) > Ho Chi Minh > Fly to Manila, Philippines > Palawan / El Nido > Bohol > Siquijor > Cebu >Boracay (Shangri La Borocay) >Fly to UK

The Favour

So now it’s time to turn the tables! I hope I’ve given you some helpful travel advice over the years, but now I want your tips. What are the must see sights in each place? Do you have any great boutique hostel recommendations? If you’ve ever been to any of the places listed in route, or even Vietnam and The Philippines in general, please comment on this post and let me know!

Has this 6 week itinerary for Vietnam & The Philippines come in handy for you? Are you planning a similar trip? If so, please leave me a comment in the box below. Jess x

 

 

 

Comments

  1. If you like old ruins – the My Son temple is worth a visit. It’s what our whole trip to Vietnam was built around (My Dad: “I want to take My Son to My Son” haha). Plenty of day trip options from Hoi An to get there. We did a sunrise bus then a boat back to Hoi An. Also the Thuan Tinh Island was one of the best things we did in all of Vietnam – well worth it and can see why it was no.1 on TripAdvisor when we looked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z19_zGQHvc

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  2. Hi Jess, hope you will enjoy this amazing part of the world! by the way the 2 Six Senses in Vietnam are really gorgeous, for sure you will like Nin Vanh Bay!!

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  3. This trip is the dream! I can’t wait to see all of your posts about your travels! The Philippines is number one on my list!

    (My blog is Wanderlustbee.com if you want to check it out)
    Xx

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  4. I am so excited for you! I have always wanted to visit both places, so I cannot wait to read and hear more about your amazing adventures. Best of luck and stay safe! xx

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  5. The Philippines is awesome! In Cebu, my favorite activity was canyoneering at Badian (Kawasan Falls). In Hoi An, we loved our homestay at Sac Lo – wonderful host and great atmosphere for meeting other guests!

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  6. Oh my god! I am so excited for you!

    I’ve never been to Palawan but El Nido is definitely a must see. El Nido Resorts is a prime choice for celebrities and people looking for relaxation. As Ive seen from friends island hopping/kayaking/snorkelling is the best activity to enjoy the clear waters and colorful marine life.

    Chocolate hills in Bohol is a must see and Amorita Resort is a great boutique hotel, so is South Palms and a lot more. haha! sorry if Im not helping. There are so many nice resorts especially in Panglao Beach.

    I’ve been to Cebu a few times and outside the city boasts so many adventures and beautiful beaches. Swimming with the whalesharks in Oslob was my favorite adventure. You can also go canyoneering in Kawasan Falls or beach bum at Mactan beach, you might wanna check out Plantation Bay/Shangri La Mactan/Crimson Hotel in Cebu. Bantayan Island is a beautiful beach that’s an uprising destination in Cebu. If you want an excellent dive head on to Moalboal. All are located few hours drive from Cebu City. I cant wait for your future posts!!

    Love from PH <3

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  10. Vietnam is an amaazing adventure. I did the Dragon Legend Cruise that goes through Bay-tu-long Bay. Less crowded than Halong Bay. Absolutely loved it: Kayaking, squid fishing, cave dinner, cooking class on board. Cant wait to read about your trip Enjoy

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    • Thanks so much Zakkiyah this is really helpful! Will check out Dragon Legend Cruise. Would love to try a cooking class. Will all be on the blog soon 🙂

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  11. Have a nice trip! I can’t wait to read about all your adventures in Vietnam and The Philippines. Unfortunately, I have never been to these countries and can’t give you any tips and recommendations, but I’ sure I’ll be using yours once I get a chance to go there.

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    • Thanks Zhanna! No problem at all, I’ll be sure to bring plenty of tips back with me and share them on the blog. Happy Travels xx

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    • Aw thanks for your kind comment Angie. I’m so excited! And definitely can’t wait to check out the Six Senses in Vietnam. I’m sure it will be a highlight xx

      Reply

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  • I fell in love with my baby. It wasn’t love at first sight. First sight was through plastic. First sight was wires and tubes. First sight was like seeing my beating heart outside of my body, trying to survive on its own. I felt like I had let you down. I could no longer keep you safe or alive on my own. Nature let us down. Instead, it took an army. It took science. It took medicine. It took patience and compassion. I had to get to know you from a distance. It took time. But the days turned in to weeks. The weeks turned in to months. And without even realising it, deep down, beneath all the stress and fear, grew the deepest love I ever knew existed. A love that comes before anything else. A love that makes me know I will never ever let you down. I fell in love with my baby. And it’s ok if you did too #thisismotherhood #NICUawarenessmonth 🌿
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  • Hey guys! I got quite a few new followers on Friday thanks to some lovely Friday Follow mentions so I just wanted to say a big thank you to both my new followers and my old ones ☺️. This is me and my little family (my partner Scott and our baby Theo). I thought I’d share some known (and not so known) facts about me so you can get to know me better . 🌍 1. I grew up in York, went to Uni in Newcastle, lived in London for 4 years and now I live in Leeds with Scott and Theo. 🌍 2. It was my dream to be a travel writer so I created my blog as a way to self publish a portfolio. I started my blog in 2013 and I’ve been a full time blogger since 2016. I like to think I created the digital version of my dream job 😊[ ] 🌍 3. My Dad is Dutch so I’m planning to apply for a Dutch passport after Brexit. Theo can get one too! 🌍 4. Theo was born 15 weeks early at 25+6 days gestation due to #PPROM. We spent 17 weeks in NICU before we could bring him home but now he’s a healthy happy boy. 🌍 5. My favourite food is Lebanese. I live for hummus, fattoush and shish taouk. If only I had a good Lebanese takeaway nearby. 🌍 6. My 3 favourite travel destinations in the world are Vietnam, Italy and NYC. . Tell me a little random fact about you? 💕🌍

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