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.

A week in North Vietnam (1) - Hanoi

North Vietnam (2): Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay

Last year, I spent a week in spring in North Vietnam. It was an unplanned holiday, so we ended up spending most of our time walking around in Hanoi and exploring some areas around. In between, we went to Ha Long Bay for 2 days and were back again in Hanoi for a night, before heading out to Singapore.

Huc Bridge

It was quite an interesting trip, enjoyable in parts and quite an experience in others. For one, we were expecting hot and humid tropical weather that week as it is South-East Asia. But what we experienced was unusually cold weather with rain and no sunshine at all! That was definitely quite a bummer. And second, we had an interesting experience with our hotel in Hanoi, because of which our trip got a bit topsy turvy. Other than that, it was a fun holiday with friends, with lots to explore and experience, and I absolutely loved the vibe and food of Hanoi.

Our itinerary was quite simple as we didn't travel around a lot.

Day 1: Explored Old Quarter around our hotel
Day 2: Went on a guided scooter ride across Old Quarter, stopping at B52 museum and the famous Hanoi train street
Day 3: Explored Old Quarter around Hoan Kiem lake, including the Ngoc Son temple, a lotus water puppet show and beer street
Day 4: Guided tour to Ninh Binh, with cycling to Minh Quan temple, taking a local boat through Mua caves and hiking up Hang Mua viewpoint
Day 5: Explored Old Quarter, museums and art around Hoan Kiem lake
(5 days, 6 nights in Hanoi)
Day 6: Travelled to Ha Long Bay and onto the Signature Ha Long cruise, Kayaked around Vung Vieng fishing village
Day 7: Explored Tung Sau area in Ha Long Bay, visited Virgin cave and beach island
Day 8: Visited Tien Kiem cave and beach island, came back to Hanoi, around Hoan Kiem lake
(2 days, 2 nights in Ha Long Bay)
Day 9: Goodbye to Old Quarter
(1 day, 1 night in Hanoi)


Getting to Hanoi

Hanoi (earlier called Thang Long, the flying dragon) was a revelation. We ended up spending 6 full days in Hanoi, and somehow it didn't feel too much. In fact, we barely explored outside of the Hanoi Old Quarter area, and even then time felt short to see all it has to offer. There was just so much to experience and feel. The vibe and energy of the city can barely be matched by any other place I have visited. Though I will wait before I talk about Hanoi, as I must start the story with our hotel experiences 😝.

We landed in Hanoi in the early morning hours after taking a red eye flight from Delhi (with a child crying at the top of his voice the entire flight!), none of which helped our mood when we landed. On top of that, when we stepped out of our plane, we were met with fog, rain and cold! I attributed it to it being early morning and ignored what I saw at that time.

We took a taxi to our hotel which was located in the old part of town, the Old Quarter. It was a long drive to the hotel and we passed through many parts of the city during the drive. The roads were lined with narrow multi-floor houses, typical to Hanoi. A lot of them had pretty French facades decorated in varied colours and designs. They had an inviting character to them, though most of them felt old and run-down.

Hanoi streets (art)

The traffic all the way was crazy, especially given all the rains. Most of the traffic was made up of two-wheelers, scooters and mopeds, with people filing up all the space. People were driving on both sides of the road whenever they saw a gap, which was a bit unnerving. Though after the initial shock, I realised that even though the traffic felt chaotic, there was an order to it, a calmness in it. In fact, no one was overtaking anyone else even. Everyone just kept driving, fast when there was space, and slower when they needed to. All in their own lane. The hot nerves that we see in Indian traffic were definitely not there. Interestingly, everyone was wearing raincoats, so they were all definitely better prepared than us.

When we reached our hotel, called the Luxury Old Quarter Hotel, we were a bit underwhelmed. On the website, it looked like a small little cosy boutique hotel, with 4+ rating on booking.com as well as tripadvisor. We were hoping to experience a hidden gem. But it did not feel so, our first impression was quite underwhelming.

Balcony of Luxury Hotel

The staff barely spoke English, though they were flexible about changing our bookings. Still something felt off. And we felt more of the same when we checked into our rooms. It was supposed to be a huge room, with space outside but looked different in real life. The bathrooms had glass windows and no locks! They had some weird red velvet sofas in the room, and there was a central glass chute right through the middle of our room. We could close the curtains but when the curtains were open, we could look into the rooms below! The balcony was nice but given the weather, that did not feel welcoming either.
My friend wanted us to leave immediately but since it was raining and we had taken an overnight flight, we thought we would check-in anyway. Once we got in, we were so tired, we just slept off. When we woke up, we thought we would give the hotel a chance. We went down for breakfast, which was tasty though not as great an experience as all the reviews raved about.

Luxury Hotel

After getting ready, we stepped out in the afternoon to explore the Old Quarter. And then noticed a board outside the hotel mentioning that it also had rooms available ‘by the hour’! For all of us who have seen Jab We Met (and remember Hotel Decent), that did not bode well. So we decided we will shift. And we did, the same night. We booked a hotel online and were off.

However, given how traumatised we were by the experience, we were not open to taking any risks and my friends booked a very expensive JW Marriott to be sure of its quality. It was a luxury business hotel, with many pools, spas, and an elaborate breakfast menu. It was massive, with a well landscaped garden all around. But it felt very sanitised and had no local character. We could have been living anywhere in the world when we were there. But at least it was a comfortable stay.

The JW was in the financial district of Hanoi, with better roads, more cars than scooters, and loads of highrises and malls. The area felt so new, so different than the Old Quarter. The biggest downside though was that it was 40-60 mins drive from the Old Quarter. It cost us a lot of time as we had to travel back daily to the Old Quarter, as all tourist activities were either there or started from there 😂. So in the end, it wasn't a good move as we ended up travelling 2 hours daily in the crazy Hanoi traffic, but I guess getting away from Luxury Old Quarter Hotel was so important for us, that we did not care where we went 😝.

View of Hoan Kiem lake

But our hotel woes did not end there. After staying 4 nights at the JW we realised, they did not have rooms available to extend our stay by 1 more night (even though they had some 450+ rooms). So for the last night before travelling to Ha Long Bay, we shifted to another hotel, La Sinfonia del Rey, next to the Hoan Kiem lake. We had had dinner on the hotel rooftop one of the days and had found it to be quite a good place. So we took the risk of moving to an unbranded hotel. And what a delight it was. It was right in the middle of all the action, had an old world charm, an amazing decor, great service and a gorgeous view of the lake. There was live music outside the hotel everyday. We could see the lights of the Ngoc Son temple from our window at night and it was ethereal. It was just so much fun being there, a far cry from our other hotel in the same area.

Interestingly the La Sinfonia del Rey was cheaper than our Luxury Old Quarter Hotel, even though it was of far better quality, and very close to all the main sights in the area. I just can’t understand how that can be the case, and how the other hotel got such good ratings. All these moves did add some inconvenience to our stay. And then there is another hotel room story in Ha Long Bay, but that will be covered in the next article. So the hotels were definitely an interesting part of our stay in Vietnam.


Exploring Hanoi Old Quarter

Old Quarter

We spent five of our six days in Hanoi exploring the Old Quarter, in fact I think we didn't step outside at all, other than the drive to and from our hotel. The Old Quarter is the part of town with traditional Vietnamese buildings and architecture in one half and then grand French style buildings on the other, all merging into each other. The old part has narrow streets full of two wheelers, and is lined with all kinds of shops and activities on both sides. Roadside eating places, restaurants, cafes, art shops, massage places, handicraft shops, and so on. You can find everything here. And in between, there are pagodas, Buddhist temples, museums, antique fort walls, lakes, the Opera and other places to explore.

There is never a dull moment in the Old Quarter, just frenetic energy everywhere. It was just amazing to be there every day. The next few days, we walked in the streets, into shops, checking out (and buying) art, getting massages and eating (a lot) in between.

Markets

Random shop in Old Quarter

The Quarter is full of shops everywhere. There are some 36 streets making up the Old Quarter with some of them selling specialised things, famous for one particular product, like silk street, medicines street, silver street, beer street, the night market and so on. And what is not being sold by the shopkeepers is being sold by the vendors on the streets. The night market had many vendors selling different kinds of local handicrafts and clothes.

Beer Street

The beer street was full of eateries where people hung out till very late, sitting outside on small chairs, eating and drinking, and making a lot of noise. Interestingly, while we were there, the police showed up and within minutes, all the shopkeepers cleared up their chairs and tables outside (probably they don't have the license for it). And as soon as the police left, everyone put the setup back, all over again. (I have seen this scene play out once before, in Bombay’s Fashion street back in 1996!). The vibe on the street even late at night was just amazing, everyone sitting outside and eating - something I miss in Europe all the time.

There were also loads of massage and beauty places everywhere. And I think we got a massage daily, it was just so relaxing as well as cheap.

Art shops

Art shops

There were loads of art shops in Hanoi. We walked into so many of them, and loved the vibrant colours in the paintings everywhere. The most common pieces were of the multi-storeyed narrow Hanoi buildings lining the streets, filled with people on scooters. There were so many versions of this scene everywhere, all painted in a different artistic style. Mostly in oil. They were all just so captivating, attracting us as we walked past.

Hanoi streets

We also walked into a war posters shop twice. These shops were selling old leftist propaganda posters, which was a different kind of art. And most of these posters were anti-capitalist, anti-American. Rummaging through those, and talking to the shop owners, I realised that the Vietnamese are very proud of the war, and how they beat the strongest country in the world. We also tried to find out if we could find the original posters in the museums, but couldn't.

Places to see

The Old Quarter has a lot of historic places to visit, most of which we just walked into. There were a few temples and pagodas too, but not many, as most of the population is atheist now, after the communists took over.

Ngoc Son temple

On our third day in Hanoi, we spent most of our time walking around the Hoan Kiem lake. It felt like the lake was the boundary of the old and the relatively new side of Old Quarter. One side of it had old buildings, and the other side was grander, maybe it was the French side. We went over the red Huc Bridge, to the Ngoc Son temple on the lake. It was devoted to the local king as well as Buddhism, which was quite an interesting mix. (Also I have not seen temples dedicated to kings too often). Apparently the temple had appeared on a turtle (there is a whole mythological story around it). And there is an iconic Turtle Tower on the lake to celebrate that too.

Around the lake

We walked around the lake, exploring art shops, old historical buildings and temples, cafes and eating places. In fact, the area becomes a pedestrian only area on weekends, and it was fun to just walk around.

Lotus water puppet show

While walking around the lake, we saw a signboard for a lotus water puppet show, and decided to go in. It was quite an entertaining show, showcasing a local art form, with puppets acting out stories in a pond of water. And a few musicians sang and provided live music to the show. It was quite folksy, with the puppeteers behind the screen using a stick in the water to move around the puppets. It was quite an artistic and skilled performance, and it was interesting to hear the local folk stories being enacted. Some of the stories involved dragons, some goddesses, and the others showcased local myths. We really enjoyed the show, as touristy as it was.

Food

The food in Hanoi was outstanding. Most of the time we ate at streetside places, or just walked into a local restaurant without checking reviews, and each of them served the tastiest meals I have ever eaten. I think I ate pho everyday, it was my favourite. And all the other dishes I tried were just finger licking good, whether in a shop or at a roadside place. And everyday it was the same story. We would decide, we would eat only twice a day as we were eating a lot already. But then within two hours of the previous meal, we would be hungry and ready to eat again! It was like we were in food heaven.

The first day, we ate at one of the streetside food places. They have these small stools that we sat on, right on the street, eating a huge amount of hotpot and observing all that was going on around us. Vendors selling, tourists buying, scooters buzzing past and everyone just moving about with a lot of energy. It was such a great experience, something I do miss in Europe.

Coffee Culture Cafe

One of the mornings, we walked into a coffee shop, Coffee Culture which felt like an instagrammable place. It was all painted in deep Van Gogh yellow. Also apparently, Vietnamese coffee is very good (Not being a coffee drinker, I can’t vouch for it but my friends were definitely impressed by it). Maybe that's why there were so many cafes all around, many with outside sitting places, gorgeous ones but which were more suited for when the weather was warmer. Also interestingly, the Vietnamese call it ca phe (as the Vietnamese language is mostly made of single syllable words) and not coffee.

Everywhere we ate was the same experience, Tasty and light food, with lots of spices. Yum! And the service everywhere was great, quick and efficient. And everyone smiled so much while serving, it felt nice to be eating so much too.

The vibe

Vietnamese fields (art)

The vibe of the Old Quarter was electric (almost crazy, and so different than the vibe in European towns which are more subdued). There was just so much activity and energy everywhere. So much colour. So much vibrancy. There were so many young people everywhere. Everyone was moving fast, with a purpose. And mostly smiling. Also many of the locals were wearing the straw hats which protect them from rain. They looked so cute. (We even bought one to help us in the rain but had to leave it behind as it was too bulky to carry in the plane).

Hanoi vibes

A lot of the shops were decorated with colourful lanterns and lamps and they added so much to the experience. They were colourful during the day, and lighted at night, adding so much vibrancy around. And of course, the roads were crowded with scooters and people.

Very early on in our trip, we realised that the weather was not going to turn “tropical” anytime soon, so we all decided to buy some warm clothes anyways. We walked into a few shops selling sports wear which were everywhere, all of them selling knock-off branded clothes, with North Face being the most popular. The one I bought actually looked quite authentic, and has lasted me more than a year already, so maybe it wasn't really fake?!

Also, our first day in Hanoi, we had been surprised when we noticed most people wearing North Face jackets. I actually mentioned to my friends that the locals seem to be mostly well to-do, all wearing these expensive jackets. I also wondered if it must be the most popular brand here. Later it turned out most of them were wearing fake pieces. Also all the tourists we met were wearing the same jackets - it turns out that everyone had expected to find hot weather, and on landing there, when they realised how the weather actually was, decided to buy some local warm clothes 😁.


Guided scooter tour of Old Quarter

Opera House

One of the days, we joined a guided scooter tour of the Old Quarter. We met the group at the Opera House. (It was a beautiful building btw, with lovely gardens outside). There was one guide on his own scooter, and three other young girls each with a scooter, for each of us. And then they took us around town, zipping through the traffic, showing us the city as the locals experienced it.

It was a bit scary at first, given how fast they drove and zigzagged through traffic. We had to hold on to them for our dear life. And it did not help that it was an extremely rainy day. Thankfully the guide had raincoats for all of us, which comfortably covered us fully on the scooter, saving us from the rain, wind and cold. And though the weather was a bummer, we did see the city in a new light, scootering with the locals made us feel like a local too.

B52 museum

We started with a buffet style vegan Vietnamese lunch at a local eatery called the Veggie Castle House. Then we drove to the B52 museum where we saw the pride the Vietnamese have in their history, their war against the US. This is the museum where the B52 planes shot down by the VietCong during the war are displayed. We were wondering how so many of these were shot down without sophisticated weapons, and the guide told us the unpredictable weather of Hanoi had a part to play in it, as the planes had to fly low whenever unexpected clouds covered the skies (And we were experiencing the unexpected weather ourselves too!).

Farms in Hanoi

The guide then took us to farms which were on an island in the middle of the city, on the Red river. We didn't know what to expect, and then we found huge farms, growing all kinds of vegetables and fruits, right within the chaos of Hanoi. It was pouring all afternoon, so we were not able to enjoy as much as we would have done on a sunnier day, exploring these lush green farms on the island. From there after some more crazy driving, we walked to the Red river and crossed the oldest bridge on the river.

Train Street

Our last stop of the day was the famous train street of Hanoi. This is a street surrounded by old narrow high houses, with regular trains moving through the tracks in between even with the houses being so close to them.To be honest, when I had read about it, I thought it was too touristy and I wouldn't want to go, but the real experience was totally worth it. It’s definitely worth visiting.

Train Street

The guides know the train timings, so they took us to the street 10 mins before the next train was to arrive. We walked along the train tracks for a bit and the houses all around had a beauty in spite of the chaos. With lanterns, colours, cafes and a lot of activity. Just before the train was to come, we sat at a cafe next to the tracks (where our guide had already reserved a seat). There was barely any space for the trains to pass by. Just before the train was to come, the cafe owners disassembled all the furniture and made space for the train. They ask the people sitting there to fold their legs and be careful. And thereafter, the whole experience was surreal. Slowly the train comes into view, passing by just inches away from where we all sat, a few inches from our knees. For a few minutes. It is a daily occurrence to the locals, but it was scary for us. I barely moved during those few minutes. Even to take photos 😂. It was definitely scary, but such a different experience. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

St Joseph Cathedral

The last stop of the tour was the St. Joseph Cathedral, a cathedral in grey white stone, something I have never seen before. It was charming. And then the guided tour was over. We were so cold by then, after having spent the whole day in strong wind and rain, we walked to the nearest hotel - La Sinfonia del Rey - and had a lovely rooftop dinner overlooking the Hoan Kiem lake. The view was awesome and the food even better. And the heating inside was a welcome relief too.

Rooftop Dinner

Overall, we spent so much time in the Old Quarter, that by the fifth day, we felt we knew the city, We knew what we liked, and where to find it. We had walked all its streets for the past few days and it felt “known”. One of the days, I even went for a run around the lake, it just felt like we lived there. And it was always a pleasure to explore it. I will always remember the vibe of Hanoi which we all enjoyed, it's tough to ever forget that.

Vietnam style in Ho Chi Minh City!

(This is going to be a long post, just goes to show how interesting I found this city and country!)

(I haven't written much for a long time, but that is not because there haven't been travels but just because life has become more hectic. Will try to update blogs more regularly now.)

I am looking to travel a bit in South-East Asia in the next few weeks, so as a start to these travels, I spent the last two days in Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam. The weekend started out as a disaster, as my colleague who was supposed to travel with me had to come back as supposedly Italians need visa for Vietnam! So you see, having an Indian passport does help, you always check for visa requirements just to be safe:). Anyways, so I finally went to HoChi alone!

To be frank, I was very apprehensive and slightly scared about being alone in a strange country. Haven't done much traveling without company earlier. But at the end of the weekend, I came back with memories of a great time in the city. It was quite an overwhelming experience and I wish I had more time to explore not just the city but Vietnam too. Plus at no point did I feel unsafe or alone or bored at all, which was quite a welcome surprise! So all in all, had a great fun weekend.

Let me start out by first just talking about what I am feeling right now, when I am leaving Vietnam. I feel that the weekend passed me like a blur. Was an amazing experience for me, being in a new city, a new country and a completely new culture. I tried to take in and absorb as much as I could and it was a learning experience for me. Maybe because the last few travels of mine have been in the US and around, where culture isn't the biggest attraction, it felt all the more impactful. (Though I must say, a lot of what I will write about is based on what I learnt while talking to our tour guide. So it may not be the most accurate version of the story, but its still quite interesting to know)

As a country, the mention of Vietnam cannot be separated from the image of the US-Vietnam war. For a lot of us, that is where we would have heard Vietnam's name the most. Surprisingly, the first day in HoChi, I did not come face to face with this past. I did a cruise in the Mekong river delta and also walked around the city; both these activities just impressing on me the culture and natural beauty of this country.

But the second day, I experienced some aspects of the war and it has left me moved. Vietnam as a country has had a tough history, being ruled or being at war with big powers throughout its history. First being ruled by the Chinese for thousands of years, then French imperialism for 100 years, then came the Japanese invasion during WWII from 1939 to 1945, then the French came back even after they gave independence to Vietnam and then of course, the worst of them (at least in memory), the US war. Even compared to its neighbours, Vietnam has had it the worst. They've been involved in wars or foreign domination all through, leaving no time for development.

But things have changed a lot in the last 10 years. Things are moving forward at a rapid pace. There is an inherent urge in the people to move beyond the hurtful past and into a new future. There is a long way to go; taking a so terribly war ravaged country on the path of development is not easy and neither is it short. But the people are moving determinedly on it, all of them and that is a good and positive sign.

Anyways back to my trip, I landed in HoChi on Friday.  The first thing which I encountered was the currency. 1 USD is worth 20,000 Vietnamese Dong. So that makes calculations very tough, especially when everyone starts talking in millions  (though its good that at least for a couple of days, you can be a millionaire:) ). Such a huge currency number is not helpful at all plus the smaller numbers get lost in the conversions. So even though 1 USD is 20, 800 VND, you just end up paying at the higher rate and get looted on the way.

With millions of dongs in hand, I left for the hotel, passing through the city and getting my first glimpses of Hochi (or Saigon as it was previously called). What impressed me most was the liveliness all around, even at night. There was lighting everywhere and it looked like all the people were on the roads, just enjoying the warm weather and the night lights all around. Everyone was just sitting in the parks laughing and chatting, and the rest were all strolling on the footpaths or driving on the roads. I almost felt like I was in India; chaotic and lively. It made me feel so at home:).

My hotel, Sheraton is located right in the middle of the touristic part of town and I got a glimpse of the Notre Dame cathedral and the Reunification Palaces also while going there. In this area, I could also see all the big retails brands, Ferragamo, Gucci and so on which I found an eyesore. Disadvantages of globalisation I guess!

Over the next two days I did the typical touristy stuff. One day I took the guided tour to the Mekong Delta around [70] km away from the city and the second was to the Cu Chi tunnels about [40] km from the city, both with [Deluxe Tours] operated by [Asia Travels].

The tour to Mekong Delta started at 8, and our guide was Tommy, a smiling man with a good disposition. We were a batch of 6 from all over the world in that tour (Chile, Hong Kong, China and India) and Tommy kept referring to us as his 'family'!

We drove for about two hours from HoChi towards Mekong and on the way were rice fields on both sides of the road. Our first stop of the tour was at Vinh Trang pagoda. The pagoda was an architectural mix of French, Vietnamese and Cambodian styles. There was also a big statue of a laughing Buddha next to it. I also came to know that about 80% of Vietnamese are non-religious! The rest being Catholic and Buddhist. Was quite a surprise to me as I had no idea there were so many non-religious people in Asia, other than Chinese.

Thereafter we came to the village of Mytho in 2 hours, where we took the ferry boat to take us across the Mekong river to the Unicorn Island. The Mekong river runs through 6 countries and in Vietnam meets the sea where it forms a delta of canals and small islands within the river. There is a bridge 3km long constructed on it sometime back. Before that, the only way to cross this huge river was by ferry.

Then for the next 3-4 hours we explored the islands, the villages, the canals and the life and culture of the people staying in the delta. First we went to a fruit farm and tasted the local fruits growing there. We also heard some local singers singing and playing music there.

Thereafter we sat in a Sampan and crossed one of the smaller canals to go to the other side of the island. The boats went so fast narrowly missing each other, it was quite a test of skill. It was also as this point I realised how commercialised everything has become here in Vietnam. The boat drivers drive as fast as they can so they can come back fast to get the next set of passengers. Also everywhere you go, tips are expected, sometimes even aggressively which did not fit in with the general calm demeanor of these people. It made me wonder how such simple people have become caught in the web of commercialism, but what can be done now? (I have heard that Laos is what Vietnam must have been many years ago, made me want to visit it soon, before it changes too!)

Anyways off the Sampan, we stopped at a honey farm where we tasted some local honey and other such products. A boy there also got a python to hold for all and take pictures with. I guess standard things done for all tourists.

Thereafter we took another big boat to go to the other side of the river, to the Ben Tre province. First we stopped at a coconut candy store to see how local candy is produced. Then we were taken to a garden restaurant in a horse cart. On the way I noticed how much the locals love to sleep on hammocks (in fact the VietCong in their essential supplies always carried hammocks!!). I also realised that the locals here were quite poor and their condition not great. The houses were just one room made of bamboo leaves and sticks.

The garden restaurant served us local fare, in covered shacks just next to another canal. The high point of the food was the 'elephant ear' fish which is fried and served as is. It was tasty. Also it rained that time, apparently it rains everyday for sometime in the afternoon, typical equatorial weather. Anyways after lunch we took another boat to come out of the mainland and then a bigger boat to reach the coast and drive back to HoChi.



We also stopped at a shop on the way where Vietnamese hand made paintings were being sold, made on a wooden base with sea shells and egg shells. Very artistic pieces but quite expensive too!



Once back in HoChi from the visit to Mekong, I walked around for an hour or two. Again I found the city bustling with activity. Lighted malls, big brand names, lots of lights, and people just on the roads having a nice time. I walked around the City Center, Notre Dame cathedral and to a couple of other smaller places. Had dinner at the rooftop restaurant in Sheraton, Level 23 with a panoramic view of the city. Surprisingly it closes at 10 pm!

The next day I took a tour to the Cu Chi tunnels in the village of Cu Chi where the Viet Cong had made an underground network of narrow tunnels about 2 feet by 3 feet wide running around 200 kms under the ground. The 2 hour tour mostly gives you an insight of what the war was for these soldiers.

The tunnels were very small and narrow and tough to navigate. The entrances were very well hidden too. Only the Vietnamese people could crawl through them, as they were not big enough for the Americans to pass through them. The Cu Chis Viet Cong stayed inside them for long periods of time for almost 30 years, coming up to fight the Americans but living in the tunnels for most part of the time.

I wondered what kind of motivation would make people live such kind of a life for 30 years. I got my answer when Tommy said what these people were motivated by, "The most important things in life are freedom and independence" their leader Ho Chi Minh had said. Still it was difficult to imagine the life they all led. We were taken through one tunnel which has been widened to allow people to easily pass through them. We went through it for 30 meters and that was enough to make us sweat and feel claustrophobic. Wonder how 30 years would have felt like among these tunnels!

As you walk around this area, you can see the kitchens, nursing rooms, workshops etc that were used by the soldiers. There are scenes to show how they made their ammunition, sewed their clothes, dug the tunnels and various other images of the life they would have had. Each Viet Cong carried essential things with him everywhere, torch, rice, hammock (!!) and water. They made some of their own ammunition and launched regular attacks to catch and kill American soldiers. There were trenches running all around the tunnels for 400 kms to provide safety when over the ground plus water diversion. Also, the VietCong made their own shoes from rubber car tires without nails and gums and these lasted for more than 10 years. (Its said that Ho Chi Minh wore the same type of shoes till his dying day.)

The Vietcong soldiers also ate tapioca for 30 years, day after day. Because there was nothing else for them to eat. Anything they grew was bombed by the Americans and so they ate tapioca. We ate some of what they used to eat, at the kitchen there. I can't even imagine how it would be like to eat that everyday and that too when fighting a war. They also had a live demonstration of how rice paper is prepared by hand.

Seeing all this, I had a tough time understanding the mindset of the American administration and their strategy and intentions during this war. It is said that they had a target to drop one bomb for every 1 sq. m. of land in Vietnam, 4 times more bombing happened here than in all of WWII!! What was the point of it all? How could it be even justified in any way? An entire nation bombed and ravaged and destroyed.

All in all, the trip to the tunnels was highly disturbing, to even imagine the life these soldiers had to live for so long to fight for something as basic as independence. But what I saw once back in HoChi was even more disturbing. I visited the War Museum in the city (after it opened from its lunch break from 12-1:30!!). The museum just has photographs from the war. Apparently the reason for the museum is to stress on how war is bad for everyone and to foster peace in the future. But I think what it does more is show some truths about the war to a wider world.

We all have heard a lot about the war and what happened there. But seeing real photographs of the same gives a completely different perspective to the whole war, the feeling of how real it all was slowly seeps in. Of the atrocities committed during and after the war, it is shameful to know that all this was done with the whole world watching but not doing enough to stop it. Hats off to the Vietnamese people, of taking on a giant like this, fighting for so long for what was dear to them and persevering through it all. About 10% of the population of Vietnam died in this war, about 4 million and that is not a small number. It is also shameful to see the US doing the same even after Vietnam, in Iraq. As with Vietnam, there was no solid reason to attack a sovereign country, but it did and got away with it.

Another barbaric truth you get to know about in the Museum is the after effects of Agent Orange, chemicals sprayed by the Americans across Vietnam to kill the jungles so that the Viet Cong could not hide anymore. The after-effects of those chemicals have caused 4 million children born after the war with birth defects. Seeing photographs of those was disturbing and brings out a lot of resentment about American politics. I think as a country US should be apologetic about what they did. And for what? I haven't figured that out yet. Was it for communism? Or something else?

For that matter, looks like communism hasn't done too bad for the Vietnamese people. They seem to be moving forward, happy and excited about their future. The government now takes care of the 4 million children who were affected by Agent Orange caused by capitalist America.

The visit to the Museum did not portray a good image of the Americans when in Vietnam. It might be just one side of the story but that side is pretty hard to justify either! (Another thing I noticed was the company responsible for the Agent Orange chemicals was Dow Chemicals, the same company responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy, a co-incidence?)

When the Vietnamese talk about the war, they make it a point to mention that they won the war against the Americans. I guess it does make them proud of what they could do. But another interesting thing I noticed was that at least in the exterior they don't hold any grudges against them anymore. They accept it as something that happened and was wrong but whats more important now is the move forward with peace in mind.

After the Museum, I visited the Ben Thanh market, a local covered market to buy cheap stuff. It was a good stop though I was not impressed with the stuff being sold there. Plus they did not bargain much, so wasn't as interesting for me :(.

One place which I could not visit was the Saigon river. It is a nice walk, to roam around in the shops and restaurants on its bank. I wasn't able to explore this area but it did look alluring from afar. A must-do I would say.

About the people, the Vietnamese are quite short, slim and agile. They all seem to be moving fast towards something and mostly smiling! A lot of them wear the straw conical hat which looks so cute. The women sometimes wear the traditional dress, a long silk shirt with parallels underneath, all made of local silk and very pretty. I also noticed women everywhere seemed to be working alongside men, running sampans, driving cabs and their contribution to the war is also often recognized. That was quite heartening to see.

In terms of English, the English spoken by most of the people is just enough to get by. Even the English speaking guides just about speak enough English to help you with the most important things. Apparently all Vietnamese people spoke Chinese for a long time under Chinese domination but when the French came, they gave Vietnamese the Latin script  So Vietnamese even though is so different a language is written with the same letters as English. The Vietnamese people like to keep bonsai,  fish and dogs in their gardens. (That's what the guide told us when we passed a market selling loads of all three!)

I liked the people there, at least the ones I interacted with. They all seemed simple and helpful. Even though there is a lot of commercialisation, the people did not seem fake like I had felt in Thailand. They were helpful when they realized you were a tourist and would even ask you if you are lost and direct you if they saw you looking confusingly at the map! Also there is a 'tourist security' police near the tourist areas. They help you cross the street given the chaotic scooter traffic:). Quite unique to HoChi I would say. (Though I got cheated by a taxi with a fast meter, so beware of that when in HoChi!)

I was also surprised by the number of scooters on the road. Looks like everyone here drives one! The cars on the roads were much less than most other places, which makes it quite a chaotic place actually. In fact most of the roads here did not have traffic lights either, you just trust your luck and run across the roads! Another thing I noticed was that scooters have a separated lane on the road while the car lanes are mostly empty!

The weather is very very humid. It is warm but not too hot generally. Also was surprised that there weren't many mosquitoes even in the delta or the jungle as I would have expected.

In the end all I would say is I loved this trip, an insight into a different land, a different culture and a very deep and welcoming one at that. It was not the most amazing of places but given it was war ravaged for so long, it is coming out of it well! It was also an experience for me to travel alone which I thoroughly enjoyed. I guess a nice place with lots to do can be fun for traveling alone too.

Also, traveling in guided tours is fun too as it allows you to meet new people. However, you don't have much flexibility on what you want to see and what not. Maybe organizing something on your own gives you more lee-way on how to pace the different things. Haven't figured out yet which is a better way to travel though!