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/14589
Join a daily mass at noon with a congregation mostly dressed in all white. See the Divine Eye watch over a hall supported by 28 dragon-encrusted columns.

Cao Dai is a syncretist religion founded in Vietnam in the 1920s. Statues of different religious leaders including Jesus, Buddha, Confucius and Lao Tze share the altar stage.

The temple also has statues of the religion's saints including China's first president Sun Yat-sen and the French writer Victor Hugo!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14589 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14568
Relax, trek in a jungle, or hike over the boulders to a lovely natural swimming pool under a water fall. The place is sociable and especially popular with backpackers.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14568 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14564
Take a two-three day tour from Ho Chi Minh City, drive along the rivers by boat and see how the locals live in the countryside.

The tours include visits to local food producers and a memorable early morning boat ride to the famous floating market.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14564 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14563
The building looks like it was carved into a huge tree trunk. You will see a huge giraffe and other animal statues around the place. Every single room is unique and has its own theme. You don't need to stay in the guesthouse to visit it. For a small fee, you can wander in the vacant rooms and find out more about this project that is still in progress.

The architect Hang Nga, a daughter of a former president, rivals Gaudi in creativity.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14563 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14006
Vegetarians do not get surprise meat on their plates, and for £1 per set meal, budget travelers will have difficulty finding a cheaper place to fill their tummies.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14006 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13997
The climb takes about an hour but the view will stay in your mind for the rest of your life. The Incas built their cities in the shapes of different animals. Look down at the condor shape of Machu Picchu, and don't forget to bring a packed lunch and some water.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13997 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13991
Built in AD 1300, Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas. Before the Incas conquered the Chimú in the mid-15th century, 60,000 people lived in Chan Chan.

Lots of the city's mud walls are now restored. Fish and net patterns on the walls tell about the importance of the sea to the Chimú. A good guide will also tell about human sacrifices and grave robbers.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13991 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13938
Saturday is a quiet time to look through what the market has to offer: weavings, ceramics, paintings, woolen clothing including ponchos, etc.

You can sit back on one of the cafes by the square and watch the locals in their traditional costumes.

In the evening all the stalls are taken apart only to be put up again at dawn.

Make sure to get up early enough to see the spectacle of the square coming back to life. Walk around the impressive Inca ruins of Pisac in the morning to enjoy them before the crowds and to see them bathe in a beautiful orange light.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13938 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13937
Situated near the border of Ecuador at the northern corner of the country, this small beach resort is ideal for budget travelers. Big luxury hotels and restaurants haven't yet arrived here.

Instead, you will find nice, friendly small hotels, bars, many seafood restaurants, a vegetarian restaurant, and half a dozen souvenier shops.

This, Peru's best beach resort, is popular with surfers. You can hire a surf or body board, enjoy jumping in the waves of the Pacific Ocean, or just enjoy the sun on the beach. The busiest surfing months are November and February. Outside these months the place can be tranquil and room rates negotiable.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13937 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13936
If you are intrigued about Peru's famous raw fish dish, ceviche, but not sure where would be safe to eat it, this is a good place. The standards are high and the place is very popular with wealthier locals and business people. Still, prices are cheap for westerners. Service is excellent and you may get to hear local live music even at lunch time.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13936