Swiss driving trip (2): Italian Swiss lakeland

Swiss driving trip (1): St Moritz

Day 6: From the Swiss Alps to Swiss Italian lakes, Brissago on Lake Maggiore, via Lake Como

In the morning before leaving, I went for one last walk in our village Celerina/Schlarigna, among its ski chalets and wildflowers. It was gorgeous. And then we were off for our next destination — Brissago, a lakeside town on Lake Maggiore, in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The drive was different than the drive till St Moritz. For the first part, we drove through some magnificent alpine valleys, with huge blue-green lakes glimmering in the sun, and slowly descended into the alpine valleys of Italy. Our plan was to drive through the Lake Como area of Italy, and stop at some of the famous towns there before heading back to Switzerland.

Domaso

We stopped in the towns of Domaso and Tremezzina on the way. We took a longer break at Domaso, it was so colourful and bright. We walked on the promenade with multi-coloured houses all along. We also went into Lake Como for a bit. We then drove along the lake to Villa del Balbianello in Tremezzina, where Deepika Padukone had got married. It was fenced off though and we couldn’t get into the villa. So we just spent some time along the lake, enjoying the sunshine and the Italian vibe. We could see Bellagio across the lake. It looked pretty but also felt too cramped and crowded to enjoy properly. I felt the same for most of the places along the lake, the roads were narrow and the towns felt too posh and crowded, somehow it didn’t appeal to me.

Around Lake Como

Driving through Italy was a bit of a mess too, The roads were too narrow with a mountain cliff on one side, and a drop down to the lake on the other. Also, there were loads of tourists around and it was crowded. And the driving was too aggressive. I got honked at multiple times for stopping for tourists to cross the road and even for driving within the speed limit! It was crazy. 

The second lake on our way, Lugano, was huge too and we drove for a while next to it. We were thinking of stopping at Lugano, the city, but it felt too crowded and busy, so we skipped it. We made a quick supercharger stop and finally reached our Airbnb in Brissago in the evening. This area is known as Ticino, and has huge Italian influences. Also, the Italian border was just a few kms away from Brissago.

Brissago waterfront

Brissago was quiet and peaceful. It was a small village with a population of just 1600 people! It had a nice promenade on the lake, and a slow life around. The lakefront walks were the best places to walk, with some grand palazzos there and loads of watersports happening on the lake. We were staying at an old Ticino house, located right on the lake. And there was a chuch next door to us. As luck would have it, the church bells would ring at night, all night, every night – that was irritating.


Day 7: A Day Around Ascona

Ascona

We had two days around Brissago, which we mostly spent exploring the area around, in a leisurely fashion. The first day, we drove to Ascona, a small cute little town just a short hop from Brissago. It was on the same Lake Maggiore as Brissago. The road was a bit difficult to drive on, with cliffside curves and fast drivers but the scenery was fabulous. The blue waters with sailboats, some boats parked on the sides and grand houses all along the lakeside. 

Ascona

At Ascona, we spent a couple of hours walking along the promenade. It was sunny and relaxing, though there wasn’t a whole lot to do beyond just soaking it in. We walked along the restaurants and the lakeside, sat on a local swing and then in the park for a bit. The place felt more Italian than Swiss, in the style of the buildings, food, and even the vibe. But it was also more chaotic and definitely more touristy. Parking was a pain here too. I liked it though I felt it was overrated and was surprised how it was so crowded with tourists.

Houses on Lake Maggiore

Later in the day, I went for a run till the next village, Ronco Sopra Ascona and came back walking. The walk was fabulous, with greenery around, stunning views of the lake, boats and yachts moored on the sides, villas perched on the cliffs above the lake, narrow paths leading to the lake, small villages, and even a small island in the distance. The clouds changed colour by the minute and there was even a small thunderstorm, adding to the drama. I just fell in love with the grandeur of this place. It felt so luxurious too, but not in a Lake Como kind of way.

Brissago waterfront

We spent the evening in Brissago, and our dinner was pizza at Bahia café right by the lake; simple, perfect, and with a view. The owner was an Italian who said he came every day to Switzerland to work. And it was interesting for us to see how easily people moved countries, something we from the Indian sub-continent can only dream of.


Day 8: Exploring Locarno, and around Brissago

On our second day in Ticino, we headed to Locarno. We spent some time in the city centre, the Piazza Grande. There were just some colourful buildings and a lively square there, but not much else. We also visited the ruins of the Visconteo Castle nearby, which, interestingly, was said to be built by Leonardo da Vinci.

Parco delle Pace in Locarno

Then we went to Parco delle Pace, a beautiful lakeside park. It was quite picturesque with trees growing in the water in calm surroundings. And the water in the lake was warm! It was so serene, we sat in the sun for a bit and then went in for a swim. Later, back in Brissago, I swam in the lake again. There were a lot more waves here, but it was just as fun to swim in such captivating surroundings.

Lake Maggiore

In the evening, we took a walk all the way into Italy, it was just 4kms to get there! The walk was beautiful, with the familiar lakeside villas, the hills on one side, water on the other. It was lovely. And when we came back to Brissago, a jazz concert was being held on the lakefront, for free. It was surreal to just sit there and enjoy the music in the stunning summer setting. And then we took our last walk along the waterfront. The villas there were seriously gorgeous, and I could walk this path every day. The bells were still ringing though but somehow everything else made up for it.

Brissago

There were a few places around to visit which we couldn’t, like Brissago islands, Lido Brissago, Parco delle canellie (a walk through blooming parks) and the Lido Locarno (for outdoor swimming). Maybe for the next time.







Day 9: Brissago to Baden-Baden, with stop at Lake Lucerne 

View from Gotthard Pass

We left Ticino today and it was a 2 day drive back to Amsterdam. The first day, we were stopping in Baden-Baden in Germany. During the initial part of the drive, the highway was closed for repairs. So we had to take a diversion, an old scenic route instead through the St. Gotthard Pass. And what a gorgeous detour it was (It’s at times like these I realise that the real beauty of countries lies in the old longer roads, not the new short highways). The pass had snow, even in June. And the roads were narrow and winding, but with spectacular views of the valleys and mountains around. It was so much fun to drive here, the views made the long drive worth it.  

On the way down, we passed through beautiful alpine villages — Hospental, Goschenen and others. With wooden chalets along the slopes, the kind of Switzerland you imagine when you close your eyes. And soon it was back to boring hours of highway tunnels, flat roads, and not much to see.

We did take a lunch break at the Lake Lucerne waterfront, not in the city but in Ennetbürgen (since all the other parkings were full). This lake felt a lot more open, as it was wider than Lake Maggiore and the mountains on the side were less high. It was also so warm. We sat in the sun by the water, had our lunch, went for a swim and it was bliss.

Baden-Baden

Soon we crossed into Germany, and the landscape changed again. It was three hours of straight, boring drive on the highways. We reached Baden-Baden quite late. It looked like a sweet little town, with huge old mansions, green parks and calm roads. A very relaxed kind of place. We took a nice evening walk, saw some beautiful houses and gardens, and had a nice Indian dinner at Taj Tandoori. After a long time.


Day 10: Driving back to Amsterdam, with stop in Rhine Valley

We went out to explore Baden-Baden in the morning, and it looked even greener and grander then. We walked through the high street which had some amazing shops. But it was a short stop as we had a long drive ahead.

Rhine Valley

On our way back, we were looking for a place to stop for lunch. When I found a castle on the map next to a river, we decided to drive there. And then I discovered something I didn’t know of before – the Rhine Valley. The views were just gorgeous - green hills, castles in the distance, the Rhine below glimmering in the sun, and vineyards and castles dotting the hills. It was an absolute pleasure to drive here after all the boring highways.

Sooneck Castle

We stopped at Sooneck Castle, perched above the river. It was small but still elegant. We walked around a bit, had our lunch and were off (with me hoping to come back someday). The rest of the drive was the usual. The driving through Germany was so smooth and well-organised. One thing I noticed this time, when there’s an accident in Germany, everyone pulls to the edge of the road to make space. Such a contrast to where I come from! After Germany, we entered France for a bit when things changed again, with more traffic and slower speeds.

View from Sooneck Castle

And then soon we were back to known places – the amazing roads of Netherlands, driving through boring flatlands. It was a long, full day on the road. And then, we were back in Amsterdam. Tired, happy, and already missing the mountains.

Engadine Valley

Overall, I wasn’t very impressed with Brissago and its surroundings. It was a gorgeous place but there wasn’t a lot to do there other than eat and shop. The Engadine valley though, I loved. And can’t wait to be back!

Swiss driving trip (1) - St Moritz

Swiss driving trip (2) - Brissago

Engadine Valley

In the summer of 2023, we did a one week driving trip from Amsterdam to Switzerland, spending a couple of days in the Engadine valley around St Moritz and then a few days in the Ticino area around Brissago, the Italian part of Switzerland. On the way there, we stopped in Belgium and France and while coming back, we stopped at a few places in Germany. It was a great vacation, and the beauty of Switzerland was mesmerising. We also enjoyed the road tripping, being able to stop where ever we wanted, and explore the not-so-touristy places on the way.

The detailed itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Drive from Amsterdam to Strasbourg (7.5 hours); explore Spa (Belgium) on the way; stay at Ibis Styles, Strasbourg
Day 2: Drive to Celerina/Schlarigna (5.5 hours); explore Strasbourg, Zurich Lake on the way; stay in airbnb at Celerina/Schlarigna
Day 3: Walk around St Moritz Lake, Silvaplanarsee lake, Sils village
Day 4: Bernina express from St Moritz to Tirano, explore Poschiavo and Alp Grum on the way
Day 5: Up the Diavolezza cable car, explore Pontresina and Samedan village
Day 6: Drive to Ascona (4.5 hours); explore Ascona, Domodossola, Villa del Balbianello; stay in airbnb in Brissago
Day 7: Explore Ascona and Brissago pier
Day 8: Explore Locarno, walk to Italy
Day 9: Drive back from Brissago to Baden Baden (5.5 hours); stop around Lucerne Lake; stay in airbnb in Baden Baden
Day 10: Drive back to Amsterdam (5.5 hours); stop in Rhine valley at Sooneck castle


Day 1: From Amsterdam to Strasbourg, with stop at Spa

We left early from Amsterdam and drove all day through a few countries today, from the Netherlands to Belgium to a short stretch in Germany and then onto our destination for the night in France. Netherlands as usual was flat and cloudy. As we reached Belgium, the scenery quickly changed. The land became more hilly and green, with cute little colourful houses and churches dotting all the villages on the hills along the way. There were loads of windmills in Belgium too. We drove through Ardennes through some stunning green valleys.

Town of Spa

We first stopped in the Belgian town of Spa. It was sunny and hot when we reached. We just walked around town and explored it on foot. The city had a very relaxed, old-world charm, and was famous for its many hot water spas, from historical times. It had some casinos, some spas, a busy high street, some street art installations and some charming cathedrals. The town was quiet, with older people slowly walking through its shaded streets.

Street Art in Spa

We saw the Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Remacle de Spa, a small but beautiful church. There were fountains and springs all around. We walked into one of the spas too, the Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand. After that before leaving the area, we stopped at the Source de La Sauvenière, which is a well-known spring, with mineral water coming from deep below. We tasted the water there, but it wasn’t as refreshing as we expected.

At night, we were looking for Indian food and found a restaurant nearby called the Asian Classic which had great reviews. But it turned out to be a huge disappointment. Probably one of the worst Indian meals I have had in Europe. On top of that, our hotel receptionist wasn’t very helpful either and declined every request we made (for an AC, for a water kettle, for directions to an electric charger and so on). It wasn’t the most exciting end to the day, but we were in France, so what could we expect 😜. Anyways as it had been a long day, we were tired and happy to sleep early.


Day 2: From Strasbourg to Celerina/Schlarigna, with stop near Zurich Lake

Strasbourg canals

We began the day with a couple of hours exploring Strasbourg. The city centre was gorgeous, especially Petite France, with its old colourful wooden houses, canals and the narrow streets. Most of the buildings there seemed to have an old timber framed wooden architecture. There were bright colourful flowers everywhere and the whole place was full of tourists. It was so vibrant, as enjoyable, just like my first visit there, in 2007.

Strasbourg Cathedral 

We walked around the canals and the churches and then went in to see the Strasbourg Cathedral (Notre-Dame). It looked so majestic, on the outside and the inside and the stained-glass windows were just outstanding. It was fun to explore. It was a hot day, so we left soon as we had a long drive ahead.

After we entered Switzerland, the first half of the drive was through the flat Swiss plateau, flat and boring. My father commented that Switzerland wasn’t as gorgeous as it is famed to be. And I just told him, just you wait till we get to the real Switzerland. We also had to buy a Swiss vignet to drive in Switzerland on the border.

Zurich Lake

We wanted to stop on the way somewhere for lunch and ended up stopping at the Zurich Lake as I thought that would be fun. The traffic was bad in town. And the lake was crowded like crazy that day as it was a sunny weekend. So, we had something to eat but were off soon, not really impressed by the lake.

And after that, we drove through some tunnels and slowly turned away from the highway towards the mountains, the Swiss Alps. The drive got interesting and the scenery magnificent, as we drove past lakes and rivers and high peaks covered with snow. The mountain roads got winding and the weather turned cooler. The supercharger we stopped on the way was also so picturesque. It got dark quickly though as we started driving up the mountains.

After a long and tiring drive, we finally reached our Airbnb in Celerina/Schlarigna, a small village near St Moritz. It started raining a bit, and by the time we reached our Airbnb and managed to get in, it was already past 10 pm. We slowly settled in, and even though we couldn’t see outside much, the place already felt peaceful and completely different from the bustling cities we had left behind.


Day 3: Exploring St Moritz and Silvaplanarsee lakes

Breakfast with a view,
our airbnb in Celerina

The Airbnb was a multi-floor wooden chalet, well stocked with everything we needed and a postcard worthy view from our balcony. We were right next to a small stream, then there were some green pastures, some chalets, a historical church and then the snow-covered peaks around the valley, hidden by clouds. We ate our breakfast sitting outside. Every day. Sipping on a hot drink with the view in front was so calming, like being in a dream.

St Moritz Lake

Our first day was a rainy day and so we decided to mostly explore the neighbourhood. We first drove to St Moritz and took a walk around the lake. Despite the clouds, the scenery was stunning. The lake was still, with reflections of the mountains and buildings on its surface. There were green pastures all around with wildflowers adding colour to the pastures. And the alpine wooden chalets all around felt so enchanting. The air was fresh, and it felt great to just walk. How much more amazing it may be to live here?

Silvaplanarsee Lake

Then, we drove to the next lake, the Silvaplanarsee, not far from St Moritz. There was a small camper park nearby, and it was also in a valley with high peaks all around, all snow-covered. We took a short walk near the lake, then went to the village of Sils for a quick tea stop. The villages in this region were quiet, and most restaurants and hotels were shut by the late afternoon.

Reflections, St Moritz Lake

In the evening, I bought a small cake from the local bakery, which was a local speciality. And I think it was one of the best cakes I have ever eaten. It’s a local type of cake from the area, and I would recommend any day, except I don’t remember what it is called 😁.

One of the evenings, we decided to eat dinner in our village but there weren’t a lot of options around. When we explored a bit, we found many of them closed too as it wasn’t tourist season yet. So we chose one which was open and went for dinner to a place called Bo’s Co in our own village. There weren’t many options to choose from the menu, but we managed. But also decided we should research more before we eat out anywhere 😁.  Another interesting thing I noted was that our village had electric charging spots! It was surprising that such a small village could have that too - showing how advanced things are here. 


Day 4: Bernina Express to Tirano and Back

Bernina train

This was the loveliest day of our stay in St Moritz. The day before, I had bought tickets for us to travel on the Bernina Express – one of the two most picturesque trains in Switzerland. It is a 4-hour train connecting Switzerland to Italy, from St Moritz (at 1800 metres) to Tirano (at 400 metres) and is an architectural marvel. It passes through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, riding on multiple viaducts during the travel. 

There are two types of trains that run on this Rhaetian railway route. The Bernina Express which has windows all the way to the roof and provides a panoramic view of the mountains and valleys it goes through. It also has fewer stops as it runs essentially for tourists. And the other are the local trains which do not have the same panoramic windows as the Bernina Express and stop more. Its windows open also, which helps when taking photographs. The Bernina express is more expensive than the local trains (CHF 56 vs CHF 32). We bought tickets for the Bernina Express one way, till Tirano and for the way back, we took the local train so we could get off at places and explore them on our own timelines. We left early in the morning to get onto the earliest Bernina Express and spent the whole day between Switzerland and Italy. And what a day it was!

Views on the way

The first half of the ride is the ascent to the Bernina pass. The ride passes through majestic mountains, lush green valleys and vibrant green forests, with views of some glaciers and high peaks in the region. We went through many tunnels, viaducts connecting mountains, passing by small streams and huge turquoise lakes,with some random wooden chalets appearing randomly through the vegetation in the mountains. Each turn, each scene was like a picture postcard.  

Bernina pass

The train took us up to 2200 metres, till Ospizio Bernina pass, the highest stop for the train ride. We were above the clouds by then. There were two lakes there, lot of snow around and the weather was cold and cloudy. We could see people hiking there even in the cold and wind, though we chose to continue our journey. The next stop was Alp Grüm, with a view of Palü Glacier and Lago Palü from there. You can hike down to the lake from here, though we planned to stop here on our way back.

Italian valleys

And then slowly, we started descending into Italy. The landscape changed again. Everything got softer, both the mountains as well as the houses. The valleys were greener and wider. There were strawberry fields, rivers, churches, and even small palaces dotting the landscape. We rode along the Poschiavo lake for a long time, that part of the ride was stunning.

Italian palaces

There were a few small alpine towns and villages on the way like Poschiavo, Le Prese and Brusio, each with their colourful houses, their many old churches and fields all around – each looked charming. Around the town of Brusio, we also passed by the famous hairpin railway bridge, and it was so interesting to see the end of our red train while still on the bend.

Tirano

The train terminated at Tirano and we explored the town for a bit. We walked around the old town and next to the river. They had some grand old buildings including some palazzos. It was already different than Switzerland – rules were bendable, standards were lower, and things didn’t feel as efficient 😁.

Poschiavo

And then on the way back, we took the local train, and the landscape was still as stunning and enjoyable as the first time. We also got off from the train at Alp Grum and Poschiavo, to take our time and enjoy the places on the way. We first stopped at Poschiavo which was such a cute little village, with a stream flowing through. It had a few churches, a nice high street and many restaurants in the city centre. We had lunch at Hotel Alfrici and the food was excellent. It started raining soon though, as we returned back to the train. Our short stop there had felt so magical, with the green mountains and rain around.

View at Alp Grum

We next stopped at Alp Grüm. It was a picturesque stop with the glacier and lake around, but the cold and rain got to us. We sat inside the train waiting room for a bit and got back onto the next train. We didn’t stop anymore that day as the weather had packed up already. The ride back felt prettier too, as we could open the windows of the trains, and the air felt fresher.

We finally reached St Moritz in the evening after a full day on the train and loved it. To be honest, I had been a bit unsure if I wanted to go on this Bernini Expire as it was clearly made for tourists, but I absolutely loved it. It’s an absolute recommend.


Day 5: Diavolezza Glacier and Villages Nearby

Glacier

The day the weather improved and the sun came out, we drove to the Diavolezza base station and took the gondola to the top of the mountain. At the base there wasn’t much snow, but as we moved up, it was all snowed out and we could see the glaciers in the distance. The sun was out, and the air was so fresh.

On the top

There weren't too many crowds up the peak though. There were some platforms to view the glaciers far off, and some cafes which were already open. We also saw some people working on clearing the hiking trails, getting them ready for summer. We spent some time there, playing snowball games and just falling on the snow, and loved the time there, the fresh air and the majestic views. After coming down, we went for a short hike up the mountain and came across a small snake on the trail too.

Going up the gondola

Around the base

Pontresina

Later in the afternoon, we drove to Pontresina for tea. The village had some charming cliff-side houses. But it was too empty, there wasn’t a lot of activity happening there yet. The drive there was charming though.

Church of San Gian

Back in Celerina/Schlarigna, we walked to the old church of San Gian, the one visible from our Airbnb windows. It was in ruins but had a quiet charm to it.

On the walk

In the evening, I went out for a walk to the neighbouring village of Samedan, and it was such a lovely walk. Along a stream, lined with wildflowers, with ponies here and there and peaceful reflections everywhere. On the way, there were people running, mountain biking, fishing, and hiking. It was clear that this area is popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

Views on the walk

While coming back, I also explored the other side of our village of Celerina/Schlarigna. It was quite huge. With wooden chalets everywhere, some beautiful churches, wildflower fields and so many birds everywhere. There were no local people outside though, only tourists mountain biking. the walk experience was just so stunning, it was so refreshing to be out and about on a sunny summer evening.

There were a few more villages nearby to visit, like Piz Nair, Piz Corvatch, Lake Staz, Hahnensee, Zuoz, Ardez, Ftan Guarda and Sils. But we didn’t get time. Also, we really wanted to go up the cable car to Muottas Muragl, for a meal at the restaurant on top but it hadn’t opened yet as it wasn’t summer yet. Like I say, to next time...

Our village

And just like that our stay in the Engadine Valley was over. I absolutely loved it – the village, the airbnb, the days out. It was a mind-blowing place and I can’t wait to be back.

A week in North Vietnam (2) - Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay and impressions

North Vietnam (1): Hanoi

During our week in Vietnam, we left Hanoi for a day trip to the neighbouring area of Ninh Binh, and for two days to a cruise on the Ha Long Bay. I absolutely loved Ninh Binh, it just had so much to do in nature. And Ha Long Bay was spectacular too, though our enjoyment was limited due to the cold and rain.


Guided tour to Ninh Binh

Ngo Dong river

One day we joined a guided tour from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, a rural countryside area south of Hanoi. Ninh Binh is also known as Ha Long Bay on land, as it has similar limestone structures as Ha Long but no sea around. It was my favourite day of the whole trip, as it was a very active day and we were away from the craziness of the city, in nature, on mountains, under caves, on rivers and so on.

We had to leave early at 7am from our hotel, and join the tour from the Old Quarter. And then we took a mini-bus to Ninh Binh. It was a 2 hour drive to get there, driving on average roads with a lot of bumps. But it was so green, so rustic, so idyllic - the true Vietnam, I was already enjoying myself. There were rice fields on either side of the road, and farmers in their straw hats tending to those fields. And in between there would be small shops here and there. During the drive, the guide also told us stories from around the country. We passed by a house which looked like a huge palace, made fully of marble. Apparently it was owned by one of the richest men in the country.

During our cycling ride

Once we reached Ninh Binh, there were a few activities planned. Thankfully it wasn't raining heavily today (just a bit), so we could enjoy the outdoors. Our first stop was to the Temples of Kings Dinh and Le, located in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. The mini-bus dropped us a distance away from the temples, and then we cycled there. The cycle ride was through vibrant green mountains and paddy fields, lined with rural houses, cemeteries and small temples on the way. The whole setting felt very rural, very remote and very green. It felt so fresh to be there.

The temple of kings

The temples were within a huge complex, with small ponds and the main temples were dedicated to the kings. And all around were paddy fields again. We were there for a bit and then cycled back. On the way back, I stopped at another small temple. It had a huge open complex, with trees, the main temple and some rooms. It was so calm there, with mountains and fields all around, and some raindrops above.

Limestone cliffs in
the river 

Our next stop was around the area of Tam Coc. We took a local boat on the Ngo Dong river starting from Tam Coc. There were 100s of boats there, and more buses were coming with visitors. Surprisingly even with the crowds, once we got onto the boats, we felt we were on our own, away from everything. On the boat, we spent the next few hours sailing away on water. We went around the limestone structures, which are similar to the ones in Ha Long Bay. And then we went under some caves, through which the river runs. On both sides of the river were paddy fields. And some mountain goats perched on top of the steep sides of the limestone hills.

Caves on the river

And at the end of the ride, there were the pagodas of Bich Dong. We did not got off there though, we just went around them and back. It was a picturesque ride and I enjoyed the serenity of our surroundings. And interestingly, the rowers here row the boats with their feet on the oars! That’s something new I had not seen before.

Peak and paddy fields

Our last activity of the day was a hike up the Nui Ngoa Long (Lying Dragon) mountain. It was an enjoyable hike, walking up 500 stone steps to get to the top of the mountain. As we looked back, we could see the limestone peaks dotting the landscape, surrounded by fields and villages till where the eyes could see. In between, there were loads of small and large water bodies. And as it was foggy, it looked even more enchanting. As we kept climbing up, the views kept on getting bigger and better. There are three peaks on the way up, and on top of each is a pagoda or a buddhist shrine. While the main peak we were climbing had a statue of a female buddha on the top.  

Ngo Dong river

Once on top, we could see the other side of the mountain and were welcomed with a view of the Ngo Dong river, the one we had just boated on. Also, on the hike we saw many women dressed in ethnic clothes, looking to get photographed in the scenic surroundings. Interestingly, their dresses all had differences, and that is when we realised there were many tribes in Vietnam, all with their own unique dresses.

Lotus pond

When we came down, we explored the area around. There were a few wooden huts at the base, beautifully decorated with lanterns. There was a huge lotus lake filled with 1000s of lotuses. They were not in bloom at that time, but it was still fun to walk through the pathways made on the lake. The tour guide kept hurrying us though as we tried to take in the feeling of being there, and it was at this time I realised that I would have enjoyed Ninh Binh a lot more if we had just stayed here for a few days instead of a day trip from Hanoi. I really enjoyed this hike, and here are some more photos from the place.

View from the top

Peaks on the hike

Lanterns

Wooden huts

Ha Long Bay

After 5 days in Hanoi, we left for our 3 days, 2 nights stay at the Signature Cruise on the Ha Long Bay. We were picked up in the morning by our tour operator and driven by bus till Ha Long City. The road was so much better than the one to Ninh Binh - it felt like a proper highway. Clearly this was a touristy route and hence more importance had been given to upgrading the infrastructure. The drive was gorgeous, all around us was greenery, with mountains and back waters, the sea and rice fields, villages with beautiful temples and houses - all of it was refreshing to the eyes.

After 5 unplanned non agenda days in Hanoi, this tour felt too organised and planned 😃. The bus stopped on the way at an oyster shop where they showed us how oysters are cultured in this area, and how they are implanted with small bits which turn into pearls. Once I realised what they were doing, it felt so cruel. I just couldn't see them do it. And somehow I felt a bit of disdain for this entire activity. It can't be fun for the oysters to have these external bits planted into their bodies. Why do humans do this? And after showing this inhumane process outside, they tried to make us buy the pearls! It was clearly not going to work with me!

After the long drive, we reached Ha Long City. It was full of highrises and modern buildings, quite devoid of character. It felt like an eyesore given how pristine its immediate surroundings were. Our bus dropped us at the cruise terminal, and then we realised how big of an attraction the Bay is. There were 100s of buses bringing in tourists, and multiple cruise companies offering different cruise tours for them to shift to. The guides had the task of getting all the visitors (and their luggage) sorted correctly and transported onto the right ship. And they had to continuously do this while more busloads of passengers were arriving. It was working like a full-on assembly line and was managed so well by all the guides - it was a pleasure to see it at work.


About Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bays (meaning descending dragon) comprises of 3 separate bays (the Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay) with 100s of limestone structures emanating from the sea. Most of these islands are small, and then there are some larger ones like the Cat Ba island. The bay is apparently 500 million years old while the karst formations were formed around 20 million years ago. Multiple cruise companies run here with some offering day trips, while other cruises give the option to stay 1-2 nights on water. During this stay, you explore different parts of the Bay. During the day you get off to explore some of the islands, while the rest of the time, there are events to keep you busy on the ship itself. And of course, all the meals are taken care of on the cruise itself.

The Bay

The larger cruise ships can enter only some areas in the Bay, while visitors need to take smaller day boats to go to other places, which cannot be navigated by the larger cruise ships. The typical day trips are to floating villages, oyster farms, beaches and caves on the islands. The whole Bay is quite commercialised, so everywhere there are activities to do, like kayaking, hiking, shopping etc.. (Apparently the Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long Bays are less commercialised) 

Cruise balcony

The bay is magnificent, and one can easily just sit and watch as the cruises cruise by these amazing mystical structures. It's magical to be there, watching the world go by from the room windows, or better still sitting on the ship's terrace deck and enjoying the feeling of being in such a remote place. 

Docked cruises

There are of course 100s of such cruises out at any time, so you are not as alone as expected. You cross other cruises a lot. Also nowadays, a lot of cargo ships go through the bay, and you can see those too. Apparently pollution had gone up some years ago, and in the last few years, it has been considerably cleaned. Many rules and limits are being set for visitors. And the locals in the areas are also being resettled to other areas on land. But still a lot needs to be done. We saw so many plastic water bottles just floating on the water, it was not nice to see it.


Activities on the cruise

Our cruise ship

From Ha Long City, we boarded a small boat to take us to our Signature cruise. It was a huge cruise with two floors of rooms, all with a view of the bay and a balcony to sit outside to enjoy the breeze. We had booked the cruise for 2 days and so got a lot of time to experience the Bay. The agenda was quite packed over the two days though.

Cruise dining

In the morning we were to have taichi sessions on the cruise deck, and I even woke up at 6am to try it, but because of the weather they cancelled it. The cruise director of our ship, Tom Cruise kept us busy and entertained during our meals. All our lunches and dinners were elaborate sit-down 3 course meals, with our national flags on our tables. The food was western though and very bland. And I really missed the tasty Vietnamese food we had gotten used to eating in Hanoi. During one of the dinners, we had a cooking class for Vietnamese spring rolls - that was the only tasty food I had on the cruise.

After dinner, the cooks from the cruise would be sitting on a boat attached to the back of the ship and fishing for squids. I also went out at night to try my luck and picked up a few. There were so many of the small pink squids that kept swimming past, some of which we caught (it took a bit of skill though). They squirt ink when caught, which I just about was able to avoid from getting onto myself.

Also, at night when on the deck, you can see twinkling lights of other cruises docked nearby. It was so quiet, one could even see the lights of nearby towns on land. Some of the best moments I spent in Ha Long Bay were there, on the deck, with these limestone mountains, some quiet and some lights, far off.


Activities in Ha Long Bay

Around the village

The first day, we took a day boat to the floating fishing village of Vung Vieng, in Bai Tu Long Bay. Once we got there, we hired kayaks and boated towards and around the village. It was fun to explore. The village was mostly small colourful huts, all floating on wooden platforms. There were some plants being grown, a school and even a community centre, all on the floating platforms. Some of them also had dogs who were barking aggressively if you got too close.

Vung Viếng village

Apparently most of the locals have moved to land, but some still stay here. They go out to fish daily and leave their dogs behind to protect their houses while they are away. Lately these floating villages are becoming more sustainable in their lifestyle, they don't throw their rubbish into the bay. They are also changing their lifestyles, their children are studying and getting jobs on the land. But they still retain some of their heritage and traditions.

When we left the fishing village, we stopped at another oyster farm. There was again a tour about how pearls are farmed where they tried to sell us pearls, again. I preferred to avoid it and sit on the terrace, just enjoying the fresh air and my grand surroundings.

The next day, we were taken on a smaller day boat to the main Ha Long Bay. The islands there were larger and closer, so the large cruise ship we were on would not have been able to navigate these waters. These islands were also more crowded, with some 7-15 thousand people visiting daily. This whole area had the limestone mountains.And some of the islets had squirrels and monkeys on them somehow, even though they were so remote.

Caves

We passed by the Ti top island with a stunning beach, where it's possible to hike up the mountain. But we passed it to get to the Tung Sao area. We first stopped at another Oyster farm (by now I was done with oysters and pearls!). Apparently, this was the first oyster farm set up in the bay. It used to be a fishing village but was now owned by a company, Ha Long pearls. When we asked, why are oysters still being raised here while the locals have been asked to leave, we were told that oysters are actually good for the bay as they help clean up the waters. Also these regions have a lot of wild oysters as farmers who were asked to leave threw their oysters in the sea while leaving. Anyways, again I chose to just sit outside enjoying the feeling of being in a magical place like this, rather than go shopping 😃. 

The beach

Our second stop that day was the Virgin cave and beach. And Oh my god, was it gorgeous! We kayaked from our boat to the caves, then walked through the caves which had stalactites and stalagmites to get to the other side. Where we were greeted by a pristine beach, with white yellow sand. And I went swimming in the turquoise waters for a bit. The water was surprisingly warm as it had been a very cold and foggy day otherwise. It felt so unreal swimming in such absolutely stunning surroundings. What an experience was. 

On the way back from there, we saw the drum cave, a formation which looks like a drum. The rest of the boat ride back was quite rainy and foggy, and at times we could not see anything around us. And then suddenly the weather would change within 5-10 mins and we could see the gorgeous limestone structures again. It felt like we were right in the middle of nature showing us its moods. The weather as usual played a party pooper. It would have been so much more enjoyable if we could easily sit outside and enjoy the warm air and clear views. Not have to keep coming inside to avoid the cold. And the colours of the bay would have been so much prettier. But alas.

Another cave

The last morning we again woke up early and were taken on a day boat to another island, with the Tien Kiem cave. We walked through the huge cave with stalactites and stalagmites. Interestingly, the temperature inside was different, much warmer than the outside. We passed by some waterfalls inside the cave too. Apparently, earlier the cruises used to host dinners inside the caves but that has been discontinued now.

The beach

When we came out the other side, we landed at a spectacular white sand beach, it was just picture perfect. There were 100s of people there that morning though, all visiting the same spots. So as scenic as it was, it felt too crowded and mainstream.  

And just like that the trip was over. And then it was the same assembly line to get back to Hanoi. Sorting back onto the right bus to take us back. But the drive back was gorgeous again. The green countryside with backwaters everywhere. And I felt sad leaving such a magical place. Once we reached Hanoi, we did the usual, get a massage and try out the yum Vietnamese food for one last time.

Overall, we found the Bay extremely magnificent and impressive. But what tourism has done to it is extremely sad. There were plastic bottles floating in the water. The bay had been cleaned a lot in the last few years, with limits set on the number of visitors allowed to visit now. Still what felt crowded to us, was half of what it used to be. As glad as I was for all the steps being taken, I also felt more needs to be done to save such a unique place we have.


Impressions about Vietnam

My impressions of Vietnam were quite mixed and interesting

• The Vietnamese countryside was absolutely stunning. Our trip to Ninh Binh was just so picturesque, so calm and peaceful - the highlight of my trip 
• People wore slip-ons all the time, even when riding scooters (our scooter guides were wearing just slip-ons while driving on the rainy day) or even hiking! It felt quite risky
• One thing that stood out for me was their pride in their history around the American War, which is still very present when they speak about their history. Everyone knows about it and and talks about it often - how they beat the strongest country in the world
• Driving in Vietnam was quite calm, it looked chaotic but somehow everyone was just driving with calmness, not trying to overtake others. It was an interesting experience
• The Vietnamese accent was quite difficult to understand at times. They use shorter words. Also sometimes it felt like they were using lack of English proficiency to get around things 
• Vietnamese use the Latin alphabet, largely because the French banned the teaching of Mandarin script during colonization. So Vietnamese is one of the only South-East Asian languages written in the Latin script 
• Vietnamese language uses only one syllable per word, which leads to many words being shortened. That’s why coffee shops, cafes are known as ca-phe (one syllable each)
• Compared to other South-East Asian countries, I found the people generally more aggressive. They reacted very strongly to comparisons with countries like China or Japan, which seemed a bit too much. Also they smiled while providing service, but the moment there was an issue, there was no sense of service, but very aggressive behaviour (e.g., for our two nights on the cruise on Ha Long Bay, they asked us to move our rooms after day 1 as they had made a mistake. So the cruise director who was so sweet otherwise at all the meals, got quite aggressive and was shouting when I was unhappy about being asked to move randomly in the middle of our stay)
• People seemed extremely stressed about time, even with small delays. Being five minutes late could spark immense frustration. I would be ok with that, but interestingly, nothing ever happened on time anyways 😃. So that felt a bit off!
• Things felt too commercial, like an assembly line. Many of the activities were just being ticked, without being enjoyed. Also service felt fake at times. People smiled but it didn't feel genuine. And like our cruise director, the friendliness was gone the moment an issue came up. It got to me by the end of the trip, I was just done 
• Scams were quite common — we personally faced multiple instances, like with our hotel, some of the spa places we went to (where they did not provide the service they had agreed on, and then pretended to not understand English!). Somehow the whole experience wasn't great for me. Because of all these issues, we ended up packing and moving rooms 6 times over the 9 nights instead of just 3 we had initially booked
• One weird thing we noticed was that most hotel bathrooms didn’t have doors! Of all the 4 hotels (5 star, 3 star, or on the cruise), none of them could be locked!
• Toilets, however, were always clean, even in smaller places that we stopped at during our drive
• Weather in Hanoi is always unpredictable. Just like Amsterdam and London 😂. The week before and after, it was 30+ degrees, but while we were there, it was cold, foggy, windy and raining the entire time! We didn't see any sun for the 8 days we were in Vietnam, that was crazy

There were a few other places nearby that we could have gone to, but didn't get to. Maybe for next time. Like Sapa in the North for hiking, and Danang, Hoi An and Ba Na Hills in Central Vietnam.  


Overall, I loved the vibe and energy of Hanoi, the natural beauty of Ninh Binh, the magical-ness of Ha Long Bay and Vietnamese food was out of this world. Still I wasn't a fan of the country and what it offers. I somehow missed the relaxation of other holidays. So Vietnam will always be a maybe for me.