http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20398 In Vietnam, we keep to the right-hand side of the road. Passing from the left side. Pay great attention on passing vehicles. Many two-lane roads have an invisible third lane in the middle that all drivers feel free to use.

Typical Highway 1- the busiest high way in Vietnam special section from Sai Gon to Mekong delta.

However it is really leisure when riding in quiet countryside road, not so much traffic. but Watch out! people may appear in front of you suddenly in no where!

Cycling in Vietnam

SAFE WAY RIDING:
- Ride your bike about 1 meter from the road edge; riding too close to the edge makes you less visible and more vulnerable to rough surfaces.
-Do not weave across the road when climbing up hill. Keep the right side when going down hill.
-Be cautious, especially on narrow, winding and hilly roads it is essential to constantly scan ahead and anticipate the movements of other vehicles, pedestrians or animals.
-On busy traffic, crowded road or loose surfaces, loosen toe-clip straps or clipless pedals so you can put your foot down quickly.
Keep your actions predictable and signal or shout before you brake, turn, dodge potholes etc.
-Signal if you are turning and don't be scared to use your horn as many Vietnamese do honking.
-With wooden bridge: be careful. It is slippery after rain, dangerous gap. Should stop and walk over.

TRAVEL INSURANCE:
- Keeping healthy on your travels depends on your predeparture preparations, your daily health care and diet while on the road, and how you handle any medical problem that develops.
- It is highly recommend that you have adequate travel insurance before you go.

WHAT TO BRING:
- Unless you bring your own bike, we supply bikes rental with different sizes. Please inform your bike size or your height. We will choose a bike which suits you. It is much better that you bring your own pedals and helmet for long distance trip.

SEE BELOW THINGS TO BRING WITH YOU FOR BIKING TRIP:
- Bike Clothes:
- cycling gloves
- cycling shoes and socks
- helmet (please inform us your size if you don't have).
- cycling jerseys.
- padded cycling shorts.
- sun glasses.
- water proof jacket & pants

WHEN NOT RIDING:
- spare shoes or sandals
- swimming suit.
- sun hat
- warm jacket (for mountain area).

USEFUL GEAR :
- pedals and seat for your own comfort.
- some spare tubes (if you bring your own bike)
- elastic cord.
- Cat eye cycling meter.
- first-aid kit and toiletries.
- repellent. (to prevent mosquito, bugs during homestay)
- sleeping sheet (you can buy a silk sleeping bag in Hanoi and Saigon)
- a handlebar bag
- torch (flashlight)

Things we supply on the trip:
- pump, bike tools, spares tubes.
- cold water box, small towel.
- first-aid kit.
- mineral water bottle for drinking.
- seasonal fruits.
- picnic lunch where no restauran
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23 Tips For Best Cycling
1. Absolutely crucial: always wear a helmet. Of the nation's 800 annual cycling deaths, head injuries account for about 60%. If all cyclists wore helmets, perhaps half of these deaths and injuries—especially in children—could be avoided. Choose a bright color, and make sure the helmet fits properly. It should sit horizontally on your head and shouldn't move about.
Do the right thing
2. Brake right. To exert optimal pressure, brake with your hands at the ends of the levers. For a quick stop, as you press the brakes firmly, slide your buttocks to the very back of the saddle. This will keep the rear of the bike down so that you don't flip over the handlebars.
3. On a long downhill, don't stay on your brakes. That may overheat the tire's rim and could cause a blowout. It's safest to "feather brake"—that is, tap the brakes, applying intermittent pressure. This is wise in wet weather, too.
4. Don't pedal in high gear for long periods. This can increase the pressure on your knees and lead to overuse injuries such as biker's knee. Shift to lower gears and faster revolutions to get more exercise with less stress on your knees. The best cadence for most cyclists is 60 to 80 revolutions per minute (rpm), though racers pedal in the range of 80 to 100 rpm.
5. Going uphill, shift gears to maintain normal cadence. On a long hill, conserve energy by staying in your seat.
6. When cycling at night or when visibility is poor, wear brightly colored, reflective clothing, and use your headlight. In fact, wearing bright colors is a good idea at any hour. Also consider a rear strobe-type light (attached to the bike or your belt) to enhance visibility at night.
Easy rider
7. Make sure your bike fits. Handlebars, saddle, wheels, gears, and brakes can all be adjusted to match your size and riding ability, but the frame has to fit from the start. To find the right frame size, straddle the bike and stand flatfooted: on a road bike, there should be one to two inches of clearance between your groin and the top tube. On a mountain bike, the clearance should be two to three inches or even more.
8. Position the saddle right to protect your knees. At the bottom of the stroke, your knee should be only slightly bent. If your knee is bent too much, the seat is too low, and you will lose stroking power and strain your knees. If the knee locks when extended, or if you have to reach for the pedal, the seat is too high, which can also stress the knee. The saddle should be level.
9. Position the handlebars correctly—one inch lower than the top of the seat. Drop handlebars (preferable because they allow you to change your riding position) should be about as wide as your shoulders or slightly narrower. Some cyclists who suffer from neck or back discomfort may prefer upright handlebars.
10. To avoid saddle soreness, get the right seat. The hard narrow seats on racing bikes can be particularly uncomfortable for women, who tend to have widely spaced "sit bones." Special anatomically designed saddles—wider and more cushioned at the back—are easy to install. Gel-filled saddles or pads or sheepskin pads can ease the pressure and friction.
11. Change your hand and body position frequently. That will change the angle of your back, neck, and arms, so that different muscles are stressed and pressure is put on different nerves.
12. Don't ride in the racing "drop" position (with your hands on the curved part of the handlebars) for a long time. This may cramp your hands, shoulders, and neck.
13. Unless you're an experienced cyclist, don't use those special aerodynamic handlebars—shaped like an upside-down "V"—which let you lean forward on your forearms and thus reduce wind drag and increase your speed. These increase the risk of injury.
14. After a long uphill, don't coast downhill without pedaling. As you climb up the hill, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and can contribute to muscle soreness. By pedaling lightly but constantly while coasting downhill (even if there's little resistance) you can help remove the lactic acid.
15. Keep your arms relaxed and don't lock your elbows. This technique helps you absorb bumps from the road better.
16. Wear the right shorts if you cycle a lot. Sleek cycling shorts have less fabric to wrinkle or bunch up, so there's less chance of skin irritation. For extra protection, choose cycling shorts with special lining or padding to wick away perspiration and no seams at the crotch.
17. Don't wear headphones. They can block out the street sounds you need to hear in order to ride defensively. Cycling with headphones is a misdemeanor in some areas.
Good road sense
18. Ride with traffic, obey all signs, and give right of way to cars.
19. Use hand signals to alert drivers to your intentions.
20. Try to make eye contact with drivers as you pull into an intersection or make a turn, so they know your intentions and you know that they've seen you.
21. Don't ride side by side with another cyclist.
22. Watch out for storm drains, cattle guards, and rail-road tracks. They're all slippery when wet. And if you don't cross them at a right angle, your front tire may get caught.
23. When cycling in heavy traffic, on a narrow road, or on winding downhill roads, ride in the lane with the cars, not to the side, where you're not as visible and may get pushed off to the side. Of course, if a car wants to pass, move out of the way.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20398 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20380 It really is a great spot to be.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20380 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19508 www.hongkongairport.com), just 25 minutes away from the Hong Kong Island and regular winner of the Best International Airport award. Hong Kong International Airport (IATA Code: HKG) serves as the gateway to this buzzing city or as a hub to further connections to the rest of Asia. Terminal 1 serves as the low-cost terminal and features a full sized cinema as well as the Hong Kong essential - shops. Yes, shopping (along with eating) is the national pastime in Hong Kong with shops staying open until late. Service is generally good (as long as you are spending money) and best of all - Hong Kong is has no sales tax.

Tip 1: Forget the 'duty-free shops' at the airport. The whole of Hong Kong is duty-free so the airport is often the most expensive places to buy your souvenirs. The Hong Kong Airport Express train offers an efficient way straight to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. Note that Kowloon station is not very well connected to the MTR (the distances are quite large - if carrying a suitcase, you may want to take a taxi from the station).

Practicalities and getting around
As a former British Colony, Hong Kong is a breeze to navigate even for the most novice business traveller. Signs and announcements are typically in three languages (Mandarin, Cantonese and English, although written Mandarin is the same as Cantonese) so as long as you can read English you shouldn't have a problem getting around. Most people in the main business areas also speak English but it's always worthwhile having the address of where you want to go to written down in Chinese, just in case your taxi driver doesn't know the English name for the destination (street names have both English and Chinese names - sometimes they don't correlate and they certainly aren't pronounced the same). The Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar so this is the most common currency of exchange.

Tip 2: If you have spare US Dollars on you, it may be more cost efficient to change USD into HKD as the exchange rate will be fixed. However, given the current weakness of the USD vs GBP, you might want to capture a good rate now. (www.hsbc.com.hk)

Tip 3: Get yourself an Octopus card - accepted as payment on the MTR and public transport systems - buy one with an Airport Express ticket included at the airport (www.octopuscards.com).

Where to stay
Hong Kong benefits from a strong portfolio of hotels which can cater for all tastes and budgets - ranging from the surprising and excellently located YMCA to the pinnacle of luxury - the Peninsula Hong Kong. However, one common denominator can be found across most hotels - service is generally outstanding and standards are higher than those found in North America and Europe. Hong Kong is split across three key areas - New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. New Territories is the area that borders China and is not usually frequented by business travellers and tourists alike. Given the lack of business or tourist interests in this area, I would not recommend staying here. Kowloon is connected to the mainline and features shopping (the national pastime), food (the other national pastime) and business. This area tends to be slightly older than Hong Kong Island but it does benefit from slightly more space (which is hard to come by in Hong Kong) and offers greater value for money.

Tip 4: Always ask the hotel if offers special corporate rates. Most tend to do and you may be able to benefit from a complimentary upgrade or better price.

Kowloon hotel recommendations

Budget
YMCA - USD120 per night
Located on Waterloo road right by the Peninsula hotel, this YMCA is unlike any other YMCA in the world. Despite the name, it functions more as a main stream hotel rather than a hostel, offering clean and modern rooms are at great prices. Staff are friendly and down to earth. Location is perfect for exploring all that Kowloon has to offer.

Tip 5: If you want a taste of luxury - why not upgrade to a suite at the YMCA. This could at a cost similar to that of a normal luxury hotel room.

Standard
Marco Polo Prince - USD180 per night
Located as part of the huge waterfront (Harbour Plaza) shopping complex, you will never be short of all things to do in this classic Hong Kong institution. This hotel forms part of the Marco Polo chain and you will find other Marco Polo hotels adjacent to this hotel. Well located for shopping and perfect for journeys on the star ferry. Traffic in this area can sometimes be bad which means travelling by car is not ideal.

Luxury
Peninsula - USD450 per night
Look up luxury in the dictionary and you may find the Peninsula Hong Kong listed. Every whim and care is catered for in this five-star complex. Famed for its old colonial style, high tea still features strongly on the tourist trail. As a guest, you will benefit from access to the first class spa and pool facilities. Try whiling away the day and escaping the rush of the city as you sip cocktails by the pool. Rooms are luxurious as expected and even the smallest detail is catered for.

Hong Kong Island recommendation

Budget
Lang Kwai Fong Hotel - USD200 per night
Small but well formed, the Lang Kwai Fong Hotel is actually located about a 10 minute walk from its expat haven namesake but the hotel is close enough to wonder back to after a night out. It is also five minutes away from Hong Kong's Soho district which is famed for its al fresco dining and the outdoor escalator which claims to be the world's only outdoor escalator. Rooms are small but the location is excellent for anyone wanting to stay centrally without the cost.

Standard
Lanson Place - USD250 per night
This boutique hotel is the real gem of Hong Kong. Set back from the hub of Causeway Bay, shopping and dining are just moments away. Rooms are well decorated and feature small kitchenettes. Breakfast is generally included in room rates and the hotel staff are very helpful. Rooms feature flat screen TVs and DVD players. The hotel lends out DVDs and books as part of its library. The gym is well equipped and modern.

Luxury
Four Seasons - USD450 per night
Perfectly located on top of Hong Kong Station (connected to the Airport Express), this bastion of luxury does not disappoint. The rooms are bright and well appointed and can overlook the harbour. Conveniently located by the International Finance Tower, the Four Seasons hotel boasts one of the most convenient locations for business meetings. As a business traveller, you may find it very convenient for your trips in and out of the airport and to meetings.

Where to eat

Hong Kong's streets are filled with places to eat. Depending on how adventurous you are, you can eat for as little as a couple of USD and be very satisfied with the fresh and delightful food. Food halls also offer a convenient and accessible way of finding a quick lunch. Recommended food halls include Pacific Place and the shopping centre attached to Kowloon Tong. Try market stalls (they have been cleaned up post-SARs) for a true experience of local Hong Kong. The one over the road from Soho, Causeway Bay, is the most accessible (although apparently the most expensive according to locals).

What to do

Top ten Hong Kong attractions that won't take too much out time out of your schedule. Estimated time for each is included so that you can squeeze it into your busy schedule.

1. Peak tram - great views of the city travelling up the Peak Tram.
www.thepeak.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

2. Star ferry - cross the harbour with classic style on board the famous (and fantastically cheap) Star Ferry.
www.starferry.com.hk
Time required - 20 mins

3. Shopping - shop till you drop at huge shopping malls. Try Pacific Place, Hong Kong Island and Harbour City, Kowloon
www.pacificplace.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

4. Ladies market (Tung Choi Street) - better to browse rather than buy, this market features cheap goods and 'almost authentic' goods.
Time required - 1 hour

5. Stanley market - step away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy this small former fishing town and its market.
Time required - 2 hours

6. Ocean Park - if family are accompanying you, then take them to Ocean Park for some marine-themed fun.
www.oceanpark.com.hk
Time required - 5 hours

7. Causeway Bay - best seen at dusk - watch the hip and trendy come out to meet for movies, karaoke and of course food and shopping. Check out the Times Square shopping centre and restaurant complex.
www.timessquare.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

8. Happy Valley racecourse - check online to see the race timetable. Get yourself a general admission ticket or arrange a box for an experience you can bet on. www.happyvalleyracecourse.com
Time required - 3.5 hours

9. Ride a tram - be taken back to Hong Kong's colonial past whilst riding on these trams that run through Hong Kong island's central district.
www.hktramways.com
Time required - 20 mins

10. High team at the Peninsula - OK, not so much Hong Kong but luxury at its finest. Enjoy fresh pastries in a delightful setting. Reservations recommended.
hongkong.peninsula.com
Time required - 2 hours]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19508 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18408 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18408 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17997 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17997 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17016 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17016 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16082
Worthy to climb the Lion Hill or take the guided tour around the spot for five euros (especially the tour mirrors the battlefield spirit). Also maps are only 1.50 euros.

It is best to visit on a Sunday, as that's the day for the famous flea market in Waterloo (next to Careffour supermarket) with antiques and about 300 food stalls.

Waterloo is approachable by train (a return is only three euros on weekend) from central station, or by bus from Brussels.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16082 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16079 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16079 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16055
The tram trundles along avenues of Art Nouveau mansions and impressive embassies, past parks, boating lakes (and Brussels tram museum!), and even through a forest all on its own, on a dedicated track away from all other traces of civilisation!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16055 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15951
Passes are for 24, 48 or 72 hours and include public transport to get around the many sights, and also gives you a free canal tour.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15951 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15944 seat61.com. It is informative, user firendly and very helpful!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15944 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15821 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15821 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15770
This allows unlimited travel throughout Alsace as well as Basle in Switzerland and parts of Lorraine.

It is available at the bargain price of 13.50 Euros per day and for parties of 2-5 travelling together it is exceptional value at 26.60 Euros for the whole group.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15770 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15113 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15113 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14999
Particularly good is the contrast seen on the T1 tram from Bobigny to St Denys then take the bus to La Defense to look around (the view of central Paris is memorable).

Continue on Tram2 from La Defense the route of which hugs the south bank of the Seine to Issy - Val de Seine RER station whence you can return to central Paris by RER/Metro or by bus.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14999 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14981
But it’s the journey itself makes this a trip worth taking. As the vintage 1912 brass and mahogany carriages journey through the Sierra de Tramuntana mountains, olive groves are plentiful as are valleys that drop away from beneath the train as it climbs the terrain. A series of 13 tunnels add a spooky air of excitement as the old wooden carriages rattle through.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14981 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14892 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14892 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13861
Mercifully, relatively few Brits currently visit - but the number is increasing as word escapes re its laid back charms and excellent value-for-money restaurants. Sozopol - the Eternal City - has long been a favourite escape for artists and for the first ten days of September it hosts the acclaimed Apollonia international Arts Festival.

There is a good sprinkling of beaches and Kavatse has a particularly Bohemian character.

The Hotel Diamanti is one of the few hotels located in the historic Old Town and provides a great base for visits south to the semi-tropical Ropotomo River, ancient forests and nature reserves.

Visit this area before it too becomes spoiled.

An excellent source of info is bulgariacoast.info

]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13861 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10336
So, if the tour/ticket desk where you're staying can't book you a ticket for the day or time you want to travel it's definitely worth asking at another hotel - they may find you the ticket you want from someone else.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10336 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5039 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5039