A private swimming pool. When asked "What was your favorite thing from this trip?", my nephew didn't need to think twice to answer "The swimming pool". He clearly knows how to enjoy life at 5 years old, doesn't he?

Depending on your budget, finding a good hotel in Da Nang is not a challenging task. Working in hospitality industry gives me advantages and experiences when it comes to hotel booking. I'll always go to TripAdvisor and sort the hotels by the Traveller Ranking, and then filter them out based on my budget, preferences, and class. By far, I haven't had any bad experience at any hotel I stayed.

What to do in Da Nang?

Honestly, we didn't do many things this trip. Traveling with my family means doing some light activities like walking a long the beach, going for lunch or dinner, or chilling by the ocean. That sounds like what we normally do at home (we live near by the ocean anyway). Nonetheless, I managed to make everyone walk on our second day in Da Nang.

We took a taxi to Ba Na Hills, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Da Nang. Ba Na Hill is a hill station and resort located in the Truong Son mountain, west of Da Nang city in the central Vietnam. You'll get to enjoy the ride in the world's longest single-wire cable car while admiring the stunning scenery all the way to the top. Once you get there, it's like a different world that you'll see. 

Blending in with the background in flower garden Le Jardin D'amour

Looking for my Prince Charming on the Love Bridge. 

This view from Linh Ung Pagoda is truly one of a kind. 

Every corner in Ba Na Hills is so Instagram worthy.

It was a bright and beautiful day in Da Nang when we visited. 

Hoi An is the land of lanterns and I can understand why. You'll see lanterns everywhere. If you are visiting Hoi An in during Chinese New Year, you'll get to experience the Full Moon festival, when the street lights are dimmed allowing only colorful lanterns illuminate the whole town. Its beauty will stay in your mind and heart forever. 

On the last day in Da Nang, we spent our morning walking along the My Khe beach. It's always my favorite thing to do. This time, it was even better as I had my dad, mom, sister in law, nephew, and boyfriend with me. My brother would have been with us if not for his work commitment at last minute.

Watching the sunrise on the beach with my loved ones.

Sipping on the juicy drinks.

Miu was so happy whenever he gets to play in the ocean. 

Watching this two building up a sand castle made my heart sink. 

The loves of my life. Nothing beats watching them enjoying beautiful moments together. 

As I am writing this blog post, I'm actually craving for some vitamin-sea at the moment. I miss the crystal-clear beach with mild waves and a stunning mountain view of My Khe Beach Da Nang. No wonder it was named as "one of the most attractive beaches on the planet" by Forbes magazine. 

I knew about Da Nang before, but I never made an effort to visit. Perhaps, it's the thought "It's in Vietnam. It's at home. I can go there anytime" that stopped me from going. But when I was standing on that fine sand beach, I started questioning myself: "What have I been doing? I traveled to many countries to see their beautiful beaches, not knowing that I have a breathtaking one in my motherland."

We get so busy with our everyday life that we often neglect things around us. Once in a while, a trip to the beach helps to clear my mind and reminds me of what I have been missing. 

Thank you so much for reading! 

::Outfit::

Privacy Please maxi dress- (Thanks to REVOLVE)

Tom Ford sunglasses- Other choices here

Michael Kors watch

Despite having so many clothes in my closet, I often raid my boyfriend's wardrobe, and basically, his clothes are mine at home. His T-shirts, shirts and even sweat pants are my favorites. It's fun to borrow from the boys once in a while. 

On the last day of Vietnam International Fashion Week, I decided to play with a menswear style during the day. A boyfriend blazer as a dress, a black crop top and shorts underneath, and black leather over-the-knee boots to complete the look. Some said I looked fierce while others thought I was too sexy. When wearing an oversized top or dress, I'd like to throw a belt on top to accentuate my waist. I also layered 2 bib silver necklaces to create a dramatic vibe and make a statement. It's either go big or go home kind of look, you know? 

Photos by Pham Cong Thanh

At night, everyone put on their best dress for the red carpet as it was the closing night. Thanks to iHateFashion for the love! My friend, Valerie & I were dressed up in their latest collection, which was shown at the fashion week just a day before. We had a blast on the red carpet and at the show. 

Love this faux fur tweed dress from iHateFashion. Their new collection is so beautiful! 

Brought my mom to the shows and she loved it. 

Front row squad with my babe: Valerie Lim- Miss Singapore Universe 2011

Sandwiched between my favorite couple: Son (on the left) and Adrian (on the right). We look like we were in a triangle relationship, don't we? 

 Photo by Long Hoang

If my memory serves me well, I had these outfit photos taken on my birthday when I was in Hanoi during Vietnam Fashion Week. Instead of attending the shows, I spent the day with my family. We went for a walk, had a delicious birthday lunch, and had so much laughter.  I'm not a big fan of cake so no birthday cake and no candles needed. The presence of people that I love means everything to me as I haven't had a birthday celebration with the family for more than 10 years (God! That's a long time).

As I grow older, I'm more aware of how short our life can be and how precious time is. Happiness can be as simple as waking up early on a weekend, having a tasty breakfast, going for a walk with your loved ones, and watching a favorite movie to end the day. The more I try to live a simpler life, the clearer my mind and heart will be. My style is an obvious evidence of how I've transformed.

I would choose black and white over neon and orange, a monochromatic outfit over a colorful printed one. If all else fails, I'll go with an all-beige outfit. It works every time. 

Photos by Son Tung

Photo by Shin Vox

::Outfit::

Rayban sunglasses

Bardot long sweater worn as dress (old)

Brown pencil skirt- Thanks to Forever21

Stella McCartney handbag

Charles & Keith belt- Similar here

Michael Kors watch

Raye pumps- Thanks to REVOLVE