The oldest market in town is held at Petaling Street in Chinatown. Vendors begin peddling their wares already in the morning, but the market reaches a true fever pitch as the sun goes down. Haggling is a must and so is tasting the cooling longan drink at the corner stall.

What could be more romantic than travelling through the snowy landscapes on a horse-drawn sleigh? Five coaching families organise these excursions. This is a great way to get about and take in the stunning scenery, and can be fun for all the family. Rides can vary from one hour to three hours and are priced accordingly.

The Yulong River is a big tributary of the Lijiang River, flowing along scenic hills, plains and villages down to Gongnong Bridge. Hiking and riding around the river are also good ways to enjoy the view. Drifting on a bamboo raft is especially recommended for views that you cannot see from the banks. There are usually two seats on the raft and space is large enough to have bikes onboard as well. With many docking places on the route, it is possible to choose to tour the river for the whole length or in sections.

There are multiple local companies offering scooter tours of the Vietnam capital. These tours range greatly in thematic focus (street food to historic landmarks) and duration, and depend on the individual provider, but details can often be agreed upon on an individual basis. On these tours, an individual driver is normally assigned to each visitor, who then hops on the back of the scooter as a passenger. Helmets should normally be provided. One motorbike tour of Ho Chi Minh personally tested out by the editor is Non-profit Student Tour, an incredible initiative that works surprisingly well. The coordinator links up tourists with available local student volunteers, allowing the students to practice their English and bringing overseas visitors into contact with locals. Each traveller is assigned an individual driver (this even works with larger groups). Drop them a WhatsApp message to arrange the date and time.