Vietnam is a long, narrow nation shaped like the letter s. It is in Southeast Asia on the eastern edge of the peninsula known as Indochina. Its neighbors include China to the north and Laos and Cambodia to the west. The South China Sea lies to the east and south. An area of about 331,000 square kilometres (128,000 sq mi) and a population of over 100 million, making it the world’s fifteenth-most populous country.
We had 30 wonderful days travelling through Vietnam. We travelled with friends from Australia. Angela and Rodi, Mitosa, Mark and their 2 children, Akira who is 7 and Luca who turned one when we were in Vietnam. Mitosa can speak Vietnamese as Mitosa family are originally from Vietnam. Mitosa still has family in Vietnam so she know the country very well, she is a fantastic person to travel Vietnam with.
Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh City it was formerly known as Saigon. It is a vibrant city in Vietnam that’s known for its history, culture, and food it is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of around 10 million. The city’s geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. It is called after Ho Chi Minh he was president of North Vietnam from 1945 to 1969, and he was one of the most influential communist leaders of the 20th century he led a long and ultimately successful campaign to make Vietnam independent.
We did a full day tour travelling along the Mekong Delta on a speed boat with with Angela and Rodi. Angela’s Dad served in the Vietnam war, he was in the navy and part of his job was to protect the waters of the Mekong Delta against snipers. So Angela was keen to travel along the same waters. We stopped at the Thu Thua Market and Thu Thura Dai Temple and a orphanage which was a bit sad to see all the poor children. We stopped at a local house for lunch and wine tasting the owners also had a pet anaconda it was huge . It was an emotional day for Angela but overall we did enjoy it.
We did a wonderful XO Foodie motorbike tour . At XO Tours all the guides are women, they are well versed in English, offer a high level of customer service, and provide invaluable insight into daily Vietnamese life. All of the girls are very nice and all of them put safety first. They are all very proficient on the motorbike/scooters.
Our menu was very diverse and offers a great selection of meats, seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits. They did not make us eat dog meat, bugs, organs, raw food or anything too weird. Not only was the food great but it was a great way to see parts of the city that the majority of tourists don’t get to see. On the tour, they took us to 5 other popular districts and we got to see how real Vietnamese people live, work and eat! It really was a great experience and so much fun.
Angela, Rodi, M and I visited the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, the museum exhibits war crimes and the impact of foreign aggression on the Vietnamese people. The museum’s exhibits include military equipment, graphic photography, and artifacts from the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War. It is very confronting, and sad. Wars that really no one won and lots of human life lost. When will we learn.
After visiting the War Remnants Museum we all need to relax. Massages in Vietnam are very reasonable so we all decided to have one. Mind you some of us seemed to enjoy it more than others, as I could hear someone snoring from our group while I was having my massage. The hotel we stayed in Fusion Original Saigon Centre was very nice and the pool area was very much needed and used as it was very hot. There are some great bars in Ho Chi Minh City but the famous Bui Vien Walking Street was too much for me, it was so loud, (i must be getting old) with lots of vendors trying to get you into their bars and restaurants.
We flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue. Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty.
There was 2 things we wanted to see and do in Hue, first was to try the famous Bun Bo Hue: It’s a rich and spicy soup with deep layers of flavor. This Central Vietnamese soup is paired with tender slices of beef and pork, then topped with lots of fresh herbs. The dish originates from Huế, and is associated with the cooking style of the former royal court. We tried it in a very local restaurant that was known for a tasty Bun Bo Hue. It did not disappoint it was delicious.
The other major attraction is its vast, 19th-century Đại Nội Citadel, It is a must see if you are in Hue. Construction began in 1804 under Emperor Gia Long and was completed in 1833 under Emperor Minh Mang it was the political and cultural center of Vietnam. The citadel is surrounded by a 68-foot (21-meter) defensive barrier. It has many impressive structures, including Thai Hoa Palace, Dien Tho Residence, and Hien Lam Pavilion. It is home to the Nine Dynastic Urns, a national treasure the citadel has ten main gates, including the North Gate, West Gate, and South Gate. It is a significant site of worship for ancestors and the late emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty and monumental achievement of the Nguyen Dynasty. The citadel was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993. It is very impressive and covers an area of 520 hectares. I just loved the gardens, so make sure to put at least half day, aside to see it.
Hue has a nice feel to it, the town center is not as busy as Ho Chi Minh City and the bars and restaurants have a more relaxed feel. There is not as many tourists so no overcrowding Yahoo.
From here we got a very comfortable private bus for the 8 of us to travel to Hoi An. The trip took about 4hours.
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam that was a major trading port in Southeast Asia from the 15th to 19th centuries. It’s known for its well-preserved architecture, lantern-lit streets, and rich history. We stayed in the very quaint Son Hoi An boutique hotel. It was in walking distance to the old town. The breakfast was very good and the outdoor balcony was great to have a few drinks in the evening time.
We loved walking around the old town it has some amazing restaurants and small bars hidden in the alley ways or some great roof top bars. I think this is one of my favorite towns.
We got some clothes made in Hoi An. In other countries we had seen clothing shops that could make you clothes very quickly but they all seem to offer the same material and designs but this place was different it is called LiMe Store 107 Tran Cao Van, Hoi An Vietnam. Linen clothing with pockets. The girls measured us up and all my stuff was perfect. I would definitely recommend, not too expensive and well made.
We did a tour that included a cooking class and a fun boat Basket Boat Ride in the Coconut Forest. The Vietnams cooking class was great we first went to the markets to buy the ingredients, learned how to make the rice paper from scratch, and then did the cooking class, it was lots of fun.
We celebrated Martin and Luca birthday it was a joint 60th birthday, we went to a very nice restaurant in the middle of a rice field. I will let you decide the ages.
The food we most liked here was the Banh Mi the best one I recon was at Bánh Mì Phượng Address 2b Đ. Phan Chu Trinh, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam 560000, Vietnam Great crunch roles with Chicken and avocados Yum.
Our next stop was Hanoi we flew from Da Nanh airport to Hanoi. Hanoi is the Capital of Vietnam and the cultural, economic and education center of Northern Vietnam. We stayed at the Acoustic Hotel & Spa which was right in the center. The roads are crazy just like Ho Chi Minh with all the motor bikes and scooters.
We did a great Jeep tour. It started with lunch in the Hidden Gem Cafe, great place and the food was very tasty. After lunch they took us to the train bridge by Eifel (built by the same guy who built the Eifel tower in Paris), then out to Red River delta to green oasis with stunning views of banana plantations, fruit, vegetable, and flower farms. we visit local villages and communities where you we witness local farmers at work. Our journey through the Red River Countryside was enhanced by a home-visit to a local family. A great experience was then had by all with a beer on train street, as the train past by ( a bit too close for comfort) . Additionally, we drove past the top city landmarks, such as Hanoi Flag Tower, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh square, Opera House, Long Bien Bridge, Westlake and Phan Dinh Phung boulevard, Thang Long Royal Citadel, Yellow Cathedral. We also went through flower street. It was a great Jeep Tour and a wonderful day.
We did a tour of the Hoa Lo prison (Hanoi Hilton) it was was one site used by the North Vietnamese Army to house, torture, and interrogate captured servicemen, mostly American pilots shot down during bombing raids. The prison has a very interesting history and is well worth a visit. Our final tour in Hanoi was to visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It is a large memorial to Vietnamese independence leader Hồ Chí Minh. This is where his body is kept for people to pay their respects. Even though he died in 1969 the Vietnamese doctors took on the responsibility of the long-term medical preservation of his remains with experts from the Lenin Institute. The queuing and palava that went on to see the body was more interesting than the body itself.
We did visit St. Joseph Cathedral as it had a beautiful nativity scene on the outside. We ended the evening with a visit to a hidden bar Bee’zees, it has great cocktails.
Our next stop was Ninh Binh were we had hoped to do a bit of relaxing. We got a bus from, Hanoi to Ninh Binh. Ninh Binh is a province in northern Vietnam that’s known for its natural beauty, history, and culture. It’s located in the Red River Delta region, about 90 kilometers south of Hanoi. Our accommodation was beautiful and although it was a bit out of town, it was easy to get taxi into the city Centre or to cycle into Tam coc. Our first night we went into Hoa Lư Old town and had dinner along the beautiful river. The views took our breath away.
Next morning we cycled into Tam Coc the views again are stunning everywhere you look.
We did a motorbike sunset tour that evening. I was very relaxing.
We did a Tam Coc boat tour it was a delightful journey through picturesque landscapes, where we glided along the Ngo Dong River and explore enchanting caves. The caves are the longest and most impressive caves we have ever been in, 127 meters long. It was an immersive experience, we just relaxed and enjoyed the tranquil beauty of nature.
Out of all the places we have been to in Vietnam, Ninh bin in my opinion has the most natural beaty of anywhere else. Just gorgeous everywhere you look.
All of the places mentioned above had great food, specialties like, Banh Mi, Bun Bo Hue, Com GA, Pho, Bun Cha, also great little bars, hidden down alleyways that are hard to find but so worth the effort, quirky cute coffee shops with lots of different types of coffee a specialty is their egg coffee, not bad at all. There are lots of hand crafts and art works. Crazy traffic, rules that no one seems to follow but it just works. Lovely people everywhere with lots of common sense and seem to manage to just get stuff done, nothing is too hard. Mind you a lot of this trip would not have been possible without Mitosa she did so much research before the trip, just fantastic. Thanks again Mitosa. Sadly it was here we said goodbye to our friends. What a great group to travel with, the memories will last a life time.
Our trip through Vietnam was not over we still had two places left to visit. Sapa in the north. Sapa is a small town in northwest Vietnam, known for its natural beauty, ethnic diversity, and trekking. We decided to get a sleeper bus from Ninh bin to Sapa, we had not been on a sleeper bus before so it was another new experience our bus was a Bunk style bus arranged in a 2×1 layout, with lower and upper bunks each seat is situated within a capsule-like space seats recline into a bed-like position, so it was a very comfortable way to travel.
For our trekking tour we decided to go for Sapa Sisters Trekking Adventures because it is a social enterprise owned by the local guides who belong to the Black Hmong minority and because it is entirely owned and run by women. We did a 3 day 2night trek, i should mention the weather was not in our favor it was heavy rain and cold so the trekking was very muddy and slippery. The scenery would have been amazing if we could see it, it could be clear one min and next you are in thick fog and could not see you hand in front of you. It was such a shame but this is all part of travelling. We did stay in 2 local homes which where very interesting. Both home were very large but with very little furniture, just small plastic chairs and tables and a small fire in the centre of the room, as the house are not at all insulated they are very cold. There were plenty of covers on the beds so that was good. The bathrooms are wet rooms with no shower screens so the water goes everywhere on the toilet and sink and all over the floor, mind you we had got used to this, as it seems to be the same in much of Asia. Again this is all part of travelling in other countries. The families in both houses were very nice and cooked us some very nice food. It was very nice to share dinner with the families. Sapa sisters are amazingly, strong, fit and short women with hearts of gold. It was great chatting to them about daily life and the struggles they have with getting jobs, bringing up families with very little money. The women seem to be the bread winners of the families, the head of the house hold and the ones that look after the children. They are amazing resilient people. We enjoyed our time in Sapa it was just a shame the weather was so bad. We will just have to come back another time when the weather is better.
Our last stop in Vietnam was Luc Yen at the Xoi Farm Stay. The weather was much better here, the rain had stopped and it was much warmer. The Xoi farm is in a beautiful settling and area. The rooms are rustic but gorgeous.
We did a local bike tour with the son. It was great as he brought us to a few different houses in the area that were being built and explained how they built their homes. We also stopped in to meet his Mother and Father in-law who are delightful, they asked us to stay for lunch and a few drinks. They made us very welcome and cooked us a beautiful lunch, we also shared some home made wine. Even though we could not speak their language we managed to communicate with them. I helped the mum feed their water buffalo, pigs and chickens. While M and the dad had a few drinks. How hospitable, a family that did not know us, to invite us into their home to share lunch and drinks. We were blown away. We loved our 3 days here it is a beautiful place with wonderful people. It was a highlight of our trip to be sure.
What a fantastic time we have had in the amazing Vietnam, what a wonderful country. I would recommend visiting this country 110%.