Halong Bay: The Most Beautiful Place in the World

By Vicky 

Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful places in the world, there’s no doubt about it. I booked a kayaking Halong tour there when I was in Vietnam for two weeks in August. To be honest, I didn’t know that much about the place beforehand but somehow had heard it was awesome and so decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. It was 5 hours from Hanoi, but worth every minute of the journey. Just a short boat ride out and we were greeted by these huge limestone karsts just scattered in the bay. Apparently there are thousands of them, but we must’ve only seen a small per cent during our time there.

The smaller boat took us out to this the ‘Surprising Cave’. As soon as I step foot in the place I was amazed – I didn’t realise then how huge the cave was. It was exciting for me to come across on a guided tour, imagine being the person to discover this place all those years ago?!

It was so hot and humid in there – note the lack of piccies of me here – I was a sweaty mess. The ground was slippy too, a few times I slipped off the path. If you’re going investigating places like this on holiday you need to make sure your travel insurance covers any sort of adventure activity, even if you have to pay a premium on it. Just check with your provider if you’re in any doubt, but do make sure. As long as you stick to the signposted walkways, and can walk steadily you’ll be fine but there’ll always be that one person who decides they want to go and explore further. Don’t be that person.

The way they’d lit the Cave of Wonders up just made it all the more incredible. Stalagmites and stalactites were everywhere but the cave was so huge it never felt claustrophobic.

They took us kayaking tour on the second day morning – if you’ve ever kayaked before could you let me know how you steer the ruddy thing in the direction you want it to go? I was hopeless.

We stopped to swim at the beach and there was a pathway to climb the limestone and look out over the bay, this was the incredible view.

Kayaking Halong Bay - Secret Lakes and Fish Farms

By Kit and Melenie

Today was to be a momentous day - the very first day to ever embark on an 'adventure' holiday - well, as adventurous as a 2 day kayaking Halong Bay on flat water can be considered. Yes, we were off to Halong Bay, Vietnam's most famous natural attraction, to explore underwater caves, hidden lagoons and secluded beaches, all while surrounded by spectacular water-submerged karst splendors. Karst, for those uneducated individual out there, since everybody knows what karst is, is a fancy name for big gray moutains of limestone that have lots of caverns, streams and sinkholes running through them.

Kayaking Halong Bay

But first off, we had to enjoy a completely unscenic 4 hour drive to Haiphong, an industrial city that also served as the port to the Halong bay area. We then hopped onto a ferry that whizzed us across to Cat Ba Island. 5.5 hours on clock so far, and we disembark to discover that we still had to catch one more boat. But this boat was cool - a beautiful 50 seater wooden carved barge with a passenger list of 2 - just us.

We started off drifting slowly amongst the huge karst islands. There is something magical about those islands - perhaps its the complete silence, and ambiance that is non existent back home. Each island had its distinct shape, which gave us hours of 'what animal does that look like' games. Many had large low overhanging cliffs, which meant we could glide underneath those rocks, pretending we were in underground caves.

Each island had its distict shape

After an hour of paddling we came to our first stop - a floating fish farm. Out here, there are numerous of these - little floating piers about the size of 6 car park spaces, on which the farmers have built a house. They live out here, on their tiny little man-made island, rearing fish, together with their families. We saw little kids, and even dogs living on the floating farms. 

A Fish Farm

Next up we went to a 'secret lake'. Not quite as secret as it was meant to be though, since there were two other boats there when we arrived. What made this place secret is that you can only access it at low tide, when the water level drops below a mountain ridge revealing a very short little cave that lets you past. On the other side awaits a lake, secluded from the outside world by the surrounding monoliths. 

We then headed over to a little beach for some paddling and sun baking. The water here is reasonably clean, but smells and tastes fishy - I guess that's why they have so many fish farms around. So after a quick dip, we emerged from the water exuding odours akin to the local fish market. 

The next day we headed out in the kayaks for a second day of exploring. By now, we were kind of sick of Karst scenery, so our guide said he would take us underground caving. Alas, when we arrived at the cave, the tide was too high, and hence we were blocked from caving. But not to fear - the back up plan was just us fun - though a heck of a lot more tiring. Duc took us out into the open ocean - across big waves (I'd like to say 2 meter waves, but they probably weren't). Just when we were at the point of exhaustion, we pulled into a quiet little bay - the home of a private pristine little beach. Now this is the kind of adventuring we love - secret little spots at every corner!! This was a gorgeous little place, so we camped out here for a few hours, just enjoying the solitude and a blue blue waters.

Emerging from the"Secret Lake"

We did a bit more kayaking afterwards, seeing a few more sights, before heading back sadly for the trip back to Hanoi. Our boat back to the main island this time was not quiet as elaborate as the one we had arrived on. But a heck of a lot cooler. It was a little diesel tug boat made of random pieces of wood shoved together. We rode sitting on the back on some plank, with the engine puffing right below us. It was a fun experience - felt very 'back to grass roots'.

So ended our Halong Bay tour. We're glad we decided to the do the kayak trek, because although the scenery of Halong is beautiful, its much more of a place to be 'experienced' that to be gawked at.

Things to do in Sapa

Just a cushy overnight train journey (350km North of Hanoi) towards the Chinese border, lies the mountainous market town of Sapa. Cooler temperatures, extravagantly dressed hill tribe folks and a French colonial flavour make you feel like you’ve stepped into a different world. The little town is charming in it’s own right, with it’s quaint little streets, coffee shops and bustling markets, but it is best used as the starting point for adventures into the surrounding hills and valleys.



Trekking amidst misty mountains and steeped rice terraces to visit traditional hill-tribe villages is where the real magic of Sapa can be found. And, although the area is now very accustomed to visits from tourists, you’ll still experience a fascinating way of life and witness a different side to Vietnam. (You’ll even come away with a fetching cushion cover you never knew you needed!)

For longer trekking Sapa, (two or three days) it’s possible to arrange home stays with the Black H’mong, Red Dzao and Dzay ethnic minorities, where you’ll be welcomed into their homes as part of the family – ladle upon ladle of delicious homemade food and lashings of potent local moonshine ‘Xeo’ guaranteed! Waking up to the fresh mountain air and the beautiful scenery all around is an experience that you won’t forget.



Further day trips from Sapa include visits to the traditional markets, such as Bac Ha Weekend Market and Muong Hum Market. Mingle with the locals as they trade homemade goods, haggle for some unique souvenirs and try some local delicacies. For a unique cultural experience, don’t miss the Saturday night ‘Love Market’ in Sapa where local hill tribes congregate from villages all around to find their perfect match.

If you’re feeling really adventurous you can climb (and hopefully summit) the highest mountain in Vietnam, ‘Fansipan.’ (3143 m) Climb through pine forest and bamboo thicket to reach the summit and be rewarded with amazing panoramic views over Vietnam and North to China and Yunnan province.
Source:Southeastasiabackpacker

Impressive trekking Northern Vietnam

By Lloydalex

With the aid of Max the Australian raconteur and Kangaroo Cafe owner and tour organizer, we found our way onto the train. Whilst it's no Orient Express, the 4 berth cabin is a much better way to travel than bus (I'm sure our friends in the Philippines understand what I mean). Tucked up in your little bunk it's not too difficult to get to sleep. Of course you wake up a few times through the night but on the whole, a good rest. Before I knew it, Alexandra was waking me from a deep sleep to tell me that the conductor had been knocking on the door... We have arrived... well almost, wait around for an hour and catch a minibus to Sapa, some 30 kilometers south of the China border... How exotic. 

Trekking Sapa, Vietnam

Not too long ago we had the privelege of visiting the spectacular rice terraces in Banaue and Batad with some good friends in the Philippines. The weather was perfect. So naturally, we are inclined to compare one place with another... Well the weather was also perfect in Sapa, perfect for growing rice that is. You need a lot of water to grow rice.

Much effort was expended in just trying to stay upright on the steep slippery trail and along the edge of the rice terraces. Fortunately we were accompanied by sure footed H'mong ladies including one who is due to give birth in 2 weeks, always ready to extend a helping hand. We walked through valleys and over hills, through lush bamboo forests infested with leeches, luckily our guide saved Alex from one. On the second day the weather lifted a little and we did get to see more of the terraces. And like the Philippines, they too were spectacular.

Our little 2 day trekking Sapa tour took us from the tourist town of Sapa through the villages of Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van and Giang Ta. Along the way we encountered several different tribes including various H'mong (pronounced "mong"), Dzay, Dzao and others. What we didn't see in terms of views were made up for by the time spent with the hill tribe people, especially our guide.

Su is a humble lady with a warm smiling face that lights up the mountain. She never had the opportunity to go to school and says she cannot read. Happily the government does now provide free primary age schooling which her children attend. 

Trekking Sapa diary

By Jessica 

After arriving in Sapa by overnight bus at 6:30 a.m., I signed up for the next trek departing from my guesthouse. It sounded promising: a day roaming the hillsides, stopping in several hill-tribe villages along the way, learning about the the ethnic minorities of the country who still live on and tend their own hillside rice paddies, and getting a bit of exercise at the same time.

But remember when I said Vietnam tended to make me overlook certain things, make do with others, and generally work a little bit harder to appreciate it? Sapa ended up being my first indication of this.

Because besides its scenery and its climate, Sapa is famous for the fact that its hill-tribe women, decked out in hand-embroidered tunics and elaborate, technicolor headdresses, will trek with you. Wherever you go. It’s what they do, day in and day out, their children strapped to their backs and their conversation topics at the ready. They latch onto a group of passing tourists, ask them their names, and follow them all day chatting. What’s your name? Where are you from? First time in Vietnam?

It starts off as kind of a charming set-up, really. With all these strangers taking such an interest in you, you get caught up in the spirit of cultural exchange and start answering questions and tossing them right back. The women quickly prove themselves to be so open, and so adept at English, that you can ask them almost anything you want about their culture, their lifestyles, their families, their diets and their language and their traditions. They can tell you what crops you’re looking at and which little hut in the distance belongs to them.

It’s like having a dozen personal, native tour guides who want nothing more than to help you understand what you’re witnessing — for about an hour. Then, the sales pitch begins.

By the time these women leave your side – which, for the record, happens at the border of their neighboring tribes’ villages – they’ve invested enough time in you that they expect to get a little something in return. They quickly yank embroidered purses and wallets, handkerchiefs and bracelets and cheesy little plastic toys out of their baskets and demand that you buy something.

And the thing is, I get it. This is how they make a living. I have no problem with the idea of paying a little extra for the privilege of walking with ambassadors from these cultures most of the world doesn’t even know exist. And getting a little souvenir to boot seems like a win-win. At first. But every woman who speaks to you, each one whose smile you once politely returned somewhere along the trail, expects you to purchase generously from her store. Before you know it, you’re surrounded by half a dozen women, each reminding you of all the great times you’ve had over the last hour and telling you, sometimes in so many words, that you’re a bad person for not wanting to buy a matching set of embroidered pillowcases from her.

It only takes a few moments for the aggression to overshadow the fact that you’re still surrounded by the all-encompassing natural beauty you came to see in the first place.

And it doesn’t stop when you get back to town. Women come up to you on the street and hang two steps behind you, peppering you with questions, following you to the ATM and the pharmacy, waiting across the street while you duck into a cafe for a cup of coffee and running back up to you as you come out. “Other women are going to ask you to buy things from them,” they tell you, “but you must tell them you’ll only buy from me because you’re my friend. You’re my friend, right? Now, how much will you pay for this bracelet?” It’s like being on a mobilized 24-hour guilt-trip with a nice backdrop.

By the end of my first day in Sapa, I’d become desensitized enough that I wouldn’t return smiles in the street; I wouldn’t answer any questions as to my nationality or name; I wouldn’t even acknowledge “hellos” with a casual nod. I’d just barrel down the street with what I hoped was a discouraging scowl on my face. And the thing is, I hated it. I’d come traveling to meet new people, learn about new cultures, experience the exotic and the eye-opening, but suddenly I was preemptively shutting myself off to the locals because I couldn’t afford to get to know them. I’d come to Sapa specifically to immerse myself in its stunning scenery, but all I could remember after my first day of hiking was how awful it made me feel.

And so, my second day in Sapa, I took a different approach. My second trekking tour with untouched landscapes and zero sales pressure. A local guide, paid handsomely, took our group on a winding trek through the hills and into her own Red Dao village. She took us to the local school, described the rice-harvesting process to us. We saw women cooking outside their homes and little kids riding buffalos along the rice paddies. The whole thing was almost… peaceful.

And then our guide took us to her home to meet her mother in law. And her mother in law’s friends. They gave us little plastic chairs to perch on over the dirt floor, asked us where we were from… and enquired as to wether we’d like to see some handicrafts they had for sale.

I definitely do not want to discourage anyone from visiting Sapa. It is truly, stunningly, otherworldly beautiful in the kind of way you only see in tourism campaigns. It’s fascinating seeing how the hill-tribes live, and it’s enlightening speaking with the tribe women – to a point. If you go, just be prepared with an iron will and a scowl in your back pocket — or a lot of cash.

A road trip through Dong Van

By Phil D.

The weather was perfect with the sun out shining bright, no clouds and a fresh breeze blowing in our faces as we started to motorbike tour Northern Vietnam. With the best still to come, the scenery was already amazing. As we were climbing up the narrow road, sheer limestone cliffs and surrounding mountains became our constant companions.

It was market day and the town was already hustling and bustling in the early hours of the day. Hmong women wearing vivid, traditional dresses filed down from their hilltop abodes carrying all sorts of produce  to the town market. Traders were offering everything from traditional clothing, tobacco, incents, and tea. Farmers steered water buffalo and hogs around the market’s edge. The people were busy haggling and looking for bargains but also happy to meet friends and relatives from other villages. It was busy, colorful and authentic with only very few foreigners around.  We wanted to get a local breakfast and took a seat at one of the stalls set up on the market ground. Freshly cooked Pho, the traditional noodle soup, was on offer, steaming hot and smelling all so tasty.

We walked around the market a bit longer and then decided to check out some of Dong Van’s other highlights. We first tried to make our way up to a small hilltop village. The road was really bad and some would actually not even call it road. Just a path carved into the mountain covered with rocks. We passed villagers returning to their villages and we realized how far away some of these people live. To make it to the market, they must have left their villages in the middle of the night. The path became more and more rugged and steeper and we started to worry about our precious bike. We finally decided to turn around not knowing if the village was still far or just around the next bend.

The sky cleared up and we decided to drive up to Lung Cu where the Vietnamese set up a huge flagpole on top of a hill overlooking China. The outlook of actually seeing China from up there was intriguing, but unfortunately we never made it. Once we pulled into town, we were escorted by a police officer on a motorbike to the local station. Apparently we had to register with them first. To our dismay we realized that our permits were inside our passports which we had left at our hotels reception. There we were, in a Vietnamese police station confronted by a grumpy official, in the middle of nowhere. Not a good feeling and when he let us know that we would have to instantly go back to Dong Van, we were actually relieved that we didn’t have to face more serious consequences. So if you think you can easily go without a permit, don’t do it. At least if you plan on venturing a bit out of Dong Van and Ha Giang.

The Perfect Halong Bay Trip

By Lina Eroh

Halong Bay, with its 1000s of limestone cliff "islands," is a must for any visitor to Vietnam. Seeing the pictures is one thing, but actually looking up and around you and seeing nothing but sheer rock coming out of the water is quite another. If it's solitude or adventure you're after, it's all here at Halong.

The one must that your tour should provide is kayaking Halong Bay. This is, rightfully, almost everyone's favorite activity as it allows you to freely explore the caves and grottos carved out by the water. We kayaked into the "James Bond cave," which was featured in Tomorrow Never Dies, and then spent another hour just exploring the various nooks within the rocks.

If you want a more adventurous trip, opt for a one-night on boat, one-night on island package. That way you can do some trekking and additional kayaking in a different bay.

If you want a more relaxing trip, opt for two nights on the boat. I actually wish we had done that, because all the transfers on the second day take a while and kill the atmosphere a bit.

Our trip, with Monkey Island Cruises, took us to Monkey Island the second day. It was okay, but the water around it was filled with trash and the "superior" bungalows were tiny and lacked any view. The pouring rain didn't help matters.

One benefit of all the transfers is the drive through Cat Ba Island, which is the only populated island in Halong. Lonely Planet calls it "something straight out of Jurassic Park," and in this instance, they're right. Besides for the one town and road, the locals have largely left Cat Ba to the elements, which means it's a mix of jungle, rock, tropical rainstorms, and fog that rivals San Francisco's. In short, it's a hell of a 40-minute drive, and probably the best part of our trip to Monkey Island.

THE ANCIENT CITY AND DELICIOUS CUISINE OF HOI AN

By Rob and Lina Eroh

Hoi An and Hue, both recognized by UNESCO for their historical and cultural significance, offer the casual visitor plenty of postcard perfect views, plus more delicious food than you can handle for just a few dollars. If you have limited time, travel to Hoi An, as it's best a place discovered over a few days. Those with five days on the central coast should try to stop at both Hoi An and Hue, as there's tons to see... and even more to eat!

We just walked around town  and admired the architecture of the old buildings. Though most are now restaurants or boutiques, they still retain the design from when they were built in the 15th to 19th centuries. Since receiving the UNESCO designation.Hoi An has essentially stopped modernizing and now capitalizes entirely on its past.

If it's too hot to walk around, rent a bike and head to the beach, 5km away. It's a really pretty ride and the beach is clean, with plenty of shade. We spent our first day there, and were surprised with a pretty crazy sunset at the end.

If you have more time to linger, you can also take your bike across the river to Cam Kim island. Take the local ferry across instead of paying for a tourist boat and get lost amidst the rice paddies and boat building shops. Real Vietnam is right here, only 10 minutes away from touristy Hoi An, and it makes for a nice few hours of cycling Hoian.

Most people agree that Hoi An has the best food in all of Vietnam. I can tell you that we agree, even though we never really ate at a restaurant. The beauty of this town is that you can spend a few dollars on the street and have the most amazing meals ever.

The banh mi (sandwiches) are better than anywhere else in the country, with thick bread that actually has a crunch. The local specialty of cau lau, sliced pork over thick wheat noodles, is out of this world, at least according to Rob. The banh vac, or "white rose" shrimp dumplings, are delicious, and almost everywhere offers glasses of bia hoi (draft beer) for $0.12-0.50! You really can't go wrong.

The only restaurant we ate in was the iconic Cargo Club on the main street. We split a continental breakfast, which featured the best croissant in SE Asia. That's not saying much, but it was a LOT better than anywhere else. We ate all of our dinners at the stalls that pop up by the river, on the other side of the Japanese Bridge. Entrees ranged from $1-2, and everything was delicious.

The liveliest spot for drinks is Before and Now, which offers "ladies night" specials of free cocktails at exactly 10:15pm. Random, but my gin fizz was really good and came with a fun straw. Our favorite place for drinks, however, wasn't a bar at all, but a boat on the river that at night became a hot spot for travelers. Here you can listen to live music, have great conversation, and have bowls of beer for $0.50!

Our Two Day Motorcycle Northern Vietnam Diaries

By Lina Eroh

Northeast Vietnam boasts nature as you've never seen it, and as you only can atop a bright yellow motorbike. Black rock forests, rice terraces climbing to the clouds, and unscalable mountains would be enough to make the area around Ha Giang a must-visit destination, but when you add in the ubiquitous presence of the Black Hmong, our two day motorbike Vietnam becomes a can't miss.

Mention Ha Giang in conversation and you'll get one of two responses: a confused brain-searching look, or a reverence that passes across the listener's face. The towns in Vietnam's far northeast aren't on many itineraries, but for those in the know, they're top destinations that boast the best of the North's mind-boggling landscape. Even the NY Times got in on the craze a few years ago, writing what can only be described as an adjective-filled ode to the area.

I'm not sure how we decided to travel here, but decide we did, even though we had only three days before our flight out of the country and nothing at all prearranged.This is a different Vietnam, one where hotel workers speak no English; where live pigs and chickens are transported atop motorbikes; where you get dog meat when you order vegetables and noodles; and where being foreign (and especially white) means everyone in town comes to watch you talk, walk, and eat.

This is a place where you need a permit to spend the night, one where electric pink scarves and high-pitched screams of "hello" from the cliffs above the road are the only things that alert you to the presence of people. It's a place where children carry double their weight of sticks in bamboo baskets upon their backs, where men dress in high-necked black tunics and matching berets, and where the "forests" are black stone.

It's really a land like no other, and it can only be properly explored on a motorbike and with sufficient time. The first thing we learned, and quickly, was that with no prearrangements, we would lose a day in Ha Giang. This would be bad enough if we had ample time, given that Ha Giang isn't the greatest city, but it was worse given that we only had three days to begin with.

The shortest trip with the most "bang for the buck" takes you to the town of Dong Van, then on to Meo Vac, and then back to Ha Giang. It's 330km and lets you drive the most famous portion of the road, but doesn't allow much time for interacting with the locals, trekking, or letting your butt rest from the motorbike.

Dong Van had a few restaurants, but most seem to close around 6pm. We ate at the fried rice place across from our homestay. The meal, at 40,000D, was pretty good and extremely filling. For breakfast, you can try bahn cuon, a rice crepe stuffed with beef.

Recommended tours by ActiveTravel Asia:

• Motorcycling Grand Frontier North Loop of Vietnam
• Complete Trekking in Ha Giang

A Confession in Sapa, Vietnam

By Sole Sister Lois

I've first heard of the Hmong tribe when I read the beginning chapters of Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed (sequel to Eat Pray Love).If you haven't read it yet, this is the book where Gilbert faces her fears about getting married (again) by traveling in Asia and asking people about their views on marriage.

So she travels to northern Vietnam to visit a Hmong household. She asked the women questions like: “When did you realize that your husband might be somebody you wanted to marry?” Finally when Gilbert asks, “But when did you fall in love with him?” and “What do you believe is the secret to a happy marriage?” the roomful of Hmong women broke out laughing. It was as though she asked them to purchase some calcium supplements! They found her questions downright silly. Gilbert then concluded that the Hmong women do not place their marriages in the center of their emotional lives as do women in the West.

As I read this book, I vowed to travel to Vietnam and meet these Hmong people myself. They seemed like such an extraordinary bunch! I would later find out that they were much more than that. They were one of the most beautiful tribe I've ever laid eyes on! I finally had my chance after our Halong Bay adventure. Last stop in Vietnam : the rice terraces of Sapa!

My first encounter with a Hmong girl was at the town square where the Hmong women were selling clothes, jewelry and souvenirs. I went in a photo frenzy. They were so colorful, beautiful and just plain photogenic! I absolutely forgot the number one rule of travel portrait photography.

The rice terraces are the main attraction of Sapa. Starting trekking Sapa tour out was pretty easy. We followed a well worn path down the slopes. But after a while, the path got muddy and steep and it got harder and harder for us to walk our way down.

A nearby Hmong farmer saw our predicament and smiled at us shyly. He then walked down and showed us the way. He walked with us the whole way and even guided us back to town after the trek. We couldn't imagine how he hiked through the muddy terraces in rubber slippers but he was smiling the entire time. His act of kindness just validated what I already knew about the Hmong tribe: that they are a warm and exceptionally friendly people.

I have to confess though, I didn't really finish the book Committed. It lacked the excitement and wonder of Eat Pray Love. I was bored out of my mind when she got to the part about the history of marriage. I felt like I was back in college with a stack of books for 'required reading'. But something great came out of those first few chapters for me. I came to Sapa, Vietnam to encounter a beautiful town and experience its enchanting people. 

The real exploration of tribal cultures Vietnam by motorcycling

By  Phil 

The weather was perfect with the sun out shining bright, no clouds and a fresh breeze blowing in our faces as we started motorbike tour Northern Vietnam. With the best still to come, the scenery was already amazing. As we were climbing up the narrow road, sheer limestone cliffs and surrounding mountains became our constant companions.

We stopped here and there but our first stop would be a small village not too far from Ha Giang. We just had a rough description of how to get there and where to turn but we eventually found it. Taking a hidden side road, crossing a rusty and suspiciously careening and creaking hanging bridge, we pulled into a small and very modest village. As usual the first ones to greet us were the local kids, screaming and shouting wondering what these strange visitors were up to. After wandering around the village for a while, I noticed a small and house with smoke rising out of its little chimney. I was attracted by loud laughter coming from the inside and I decided to give in to my curiosity and have a quick peek. As soon as the family inside spotted me, there was no turning back. I was happily welcomed and dragged inside. It was dim inside with only a couple of windows letting a bit of light in and the room was filled with thick smoke from the fireplace. It seemed to be one big family with several kids, their parents, grandparents and what seemed to be aunts and uncles.

The very vital grandmother instantly offered us some homemade rice wine. As guests you can’t refuse such an offer so we went along and had one and then a few more. This stuff is strong and hence it didn’t miss its purpose. A bit tipsy, communicating all of sudden got a little bit easier. With a loosened tongue, our basic Vietnamese and the help of a little phrasebook, it actually worked out quite well and we had a great time. Right when we were about to leave and continue our trip, the family insisted for us to stay for lunch which they had prepared in the meantime.With every one of them being pretty assertive, there was again no way to refuse their generous offer. We all sat down on the floor, smiled at each other and ate. It was an experience I will never forget. This family didn’t have much, not even running water, but they were happy to share their meal with two foreigners they had just met. The kindness and open-heartedness of the people in South East Asia once again left me in astonishment.

We said good bye to our friendly hosts and continued our journey to Dong Van. We still had quite a ways to go and time had flown by. As we crossed a beautiful mountain pass with the poetic name of Heaven’s Gate on the way up, we still took our time and stopped several times to take in the beautiful scenery or to get our picture taken with local kids we met by the road. After a while dawn set in and dipped the landscape in a yellow and purple hue. As the last sun rays made it over the mountain tops, we had our first encounters with some of the regions ethnic minorities. Most of them Hmong, with the men dressed in high-necked tunics and matching berets and the women wearing colorful headdresses, carrying heave bamboo baskets on their back. It was so impressive and so different from we had seen before, that we forgot about time. Riding along the serpentine like road in darkness was exhilarating and a bit intimidating at the same time but after a good hour we finally and safely pulled into Dong Van.

The weekly market, a very important event for the local hill tribes, was scheduled for the next day. Good timing for us but since we arrived late, most of the hotels and guesthouses were already fully booked. After asking around, we finally found a hotel which had a room. It was actually a nice place and the owners even had arranged our permits at the local police station, which are still needed to tour the Ha Giang region. We finished the day at a local BBQ place where we were once again invited for rice wine. And yet again, we had a great time with the locals and this time it ended not only tipsy but pretty much drunk.

Surreal experience in Sapa, Vietnam

By Asha and Ryan

Sapa – or more accurately, the mountainous countryside around Sapa – is the most stunningly beautiful place we have been since leaving the islands of Thailand’s Krabi provence a few months ago. On this point, Asha and I both agree.

To get to Sapa we took an overnight sleeper train (our favourite mode of transportation) from Hanoi to the border town of Lao Cai, however a bone rattling fever made the trip pretty awful and sleep hard to come by for me. Our hotel (Hanoi Guesthouse – probably the best place we have stayed this year, i think they will get their own post on here later) were incredibly helpful, booking our train tickets, calling out next hotel to organise our pickup at the other end, organising a taxi to the train station and even sending someone from the hotel on motorbike behind our taxi to make sure we got on the right train. In a place like Hanoi, where travelling can be a bit of a headache at times, having this kind of service is just fantastic.

From Lao Cai it was only one hour by bus to Sapa, a trip that revealed to us just how mesmerising the scenery in this part of Vietnam is. The region is full of soaring peaks and steep valleys, with terraced fields, rice paddies and thatched roofed villages turning the region (as Asha said) into something out of a National Geographic magazine. Add women in traditional dress (usually chasing you down to sell you their handicrafts), snotty nosed kids and families planting rice across the valley, and yeah, you get the picture.

Sapa is a tourist town high in the mountains, close Fansipan (Vietnam’s highest peak), and it immediately felt very different from everywhere else we had been in south-east asia. The temparatures in Sapa are much lower than everywhere else, with winter temperatures often dropping below freezing and snow even falls from time to time. But its summer now, and we were blessed with some gorgeous sunny afternoons and a cool breeze, allthough at time clouds did sweep in and blanket the town white.

In Sapa it felt like the heat and humidity that had clung to our skin and clothes for the last 3 months had finally dropped away, and the fresh mountain air had our spirits soaring (after my fever had passed).

Our hotel was more akin to a mountain chalet, with open fireplaces in each room and wood paneling. The landing in front of our room overlooked the huge valley and distant peaks, but a box of kittens living in the woodshed behind our room was of far more interest to Asha, who was constantly sneaking out to check on them and win the trust of the mother. “She trusts me, I am one of them now”

Apart from gazing at the view and watching endless activity going on in the terraced fields and paddies below and above us, the only real activities we did in Sapa were trekking (well, walking really, but trekking sounds way better) to Cat Cat Village, and doing a Vietnamese cooking course.

The trekking Sapa took a few hours, and it was great to get out and into the countryside, to walk through villages and fields and see people going about their day to day. The return journey however was a bit more difficult, as it didn’t seem to register on the first leg that the return would be all uphill, and all steep. But some strenuous exercise, lungfuls of cool mountain air and a much needed release of endorphins had us pretty content that afternoon, and watching the hawks win in the late afternoon breeze topped it all off.

The best thing about travelling Vietnam

By Asha and Ryan

Back in Melbourne, we were always big fans of Vietnamese rolls, whether it was vietnam roast chicken rolls with pockets of eye-watering chillies from Jenny’s Hot Breads in Camberwell, pate-filled deliciousness from Johnston street, pork meatball rolls from that joint near Barkly square or bbq pork from Sunny’s on Smith St.  All super fresh, with crunchy baguettes and delicious fillings – and usually costing less than $3.

Well, Vietnam did not let us down, especially in Ho Chi Minh (or Saigon, or whatever) which seemed to be the capital for vietnamese rolls (called Banh Mi).  The rolls are often sold from street vendors, but it is best to get them straight from the bakery itself.

Banh Mi Vietnam

Our typical Banh Mi experience was this:  a fresh, crusty rolled, cut and spread with a lard/butter/something yellow, and then spread with pate, stuffed with three different types of pork meat (yay for mystery meats), along with pickled carrot and other vegetables, chilli, coriander, chilli sauce and a dash of fish sauce.  That normally costs around 10,000 dong (50 cents).

I think its silly to judge a food culture by what its very best dishes are – i think you need to look at the quality of the everyday, easily available street food because that is the real food culture, and in this regard Vietnam was amazing.

Roll your own fresh spring rolls

Fried spring rolls are great, but good fresh spring rolls are even better.  And having all of the ingredients brought to the table so you can add whatever you want and roll it up – well, you just made Asha’s day.  Fresh spring rolls – in particular some we had in Hanoi – are just amazing.  Take a piece of rice paper, add some beef pan-fried in lemongrass, vermicelli noodles, pineapple (yep pineapple – it was a revelation), lettuce, vietnamese mint, chilli and heaps of other unnamed herbs and roll tightly. Dip into a sweet, fishy dipping sauce and put that glorious thing in your mouth!

Cheap Beer (Seriously, freakishly cheap) 

Cans and bottles of beer in Vietnam are cheap enough, but draught beer (beer on tap) is ridiculously so. Even at some tourist restaurants you  can get a large glass of cold draught beer for 3000 dong (thats about 15 cents).  And the beers aren’t bad – sure, the gas coming of the 15 cent a glass stuff might have a eggy scent to it – but you get over that.

Our favourite Vietnamese beers included the super cheap Saigon (Asha favourite), Bia Ha Noi (which I was warned by a fellow traveller had given him the squirts, “i think they use dodgy water” he said, but i had no troubles with it), Larue – actually there seemed to be a beer named after each significant place in the country.  Its hot, its humid – the conditions where light tasting beers like these do there best work.

We were also surprised at Vietnam’s drinking culture – or that there was one.  But at 5pm on a friday afternoon in Hanoi, its amazing to see hundreds of people sitting on impossibly tiny plastic stools on corners around the old town drinking cold beers and having very loud conversations.

We’d heard our fair share of Vietnam horror stories before we’d even arrived. Tales of complex taxi scams, dodgy hotels, drive-by bag snatching, toddlers picking your pockets etc etc. Although we were a little intimidated by all the stories, we were determined not to be taken advantage of (much). In my opinion things weren’t nearly as bad as people say they are. Either that or we may have just been lucky. That being said we took the usual precautions: My bag was practically stapled and duct taped to my body at all times, we always took legit taxis and monitored the meters with our hawk eyes and generally avoided flashing our fat stacks of cash around for all to see. All in all we came away from Vietnam completely unscathed (or that we know of).

Hotel quality and level of service

Vietnam is light years ahead of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos when it comes to hospitality.  So often on this trip asking a question at reception has been met with confused looks or half-hearted responses.  In Vietnam it was hard to head out the door without first being made to debrief the hotel staff on what we were doing, so they could show us the best way to get there, give us tips on what to see, and make sure we had a map and knew to watch out for bag-snatchers.  So many times the staff would go out of there way to help us with our travel plans (at one hotel, the doorman rode his motorbike behind our taxi to the train station, organised our tickets, and then took our bags onto the train to make sure we got into the correct cabin).  Its great to return to your hotel at the end of the day to find two smiling staff members in reception who seem genuinely pumped that you have returned, with beaming smiles and plenty of questions about your day.

Added to this was the quality of the hotels.  We have spent on average $20 a night on accommodation between us, and in Vietnam this gets you a much nicer room than in Laos or Thailand.  Everywhere we stayed was great.

Coffee

The coffee in Vietnam is not for the faint hearted. It’s thick, black, strong and very caffeinated. And we love it.Coffee is made using individual metal filters placed over the cup. The ground coffee and water is placed in the top and the coffee slowly drips through (see more here via this sassy video). If you like your coffee with milk, the Vietnamese will throw in a generous dollop or two of condensed milk, which is probably the only substance that’s able to penetrate the concentrated coffee sludge. The bean itself has a distinctive vanilla smell to it that you really can taste in the finish product.Thats it really – we loved travelling Vietnam.

A real exploration of Vietnam by motorbike

By Phil D

I was meant to travel Vietnam a lot earlier, right after my Cambodia trip, but a rather spontaneous change of my itinerary forced me to postpone this adventure by more than three months. Having finally booked my ticket to Hanoi and a rough outline of places to visit in my head, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. A good amount of fellow travelers told me a lot of good things about the country. Others said that they didn’t like the people and their attitude and that the country has already become too touristy. By that time I had already been to 7 other countries and I was worried that Vietnam would just not be able to fascinate me anymore. Luckily I was very wrong and it turned out to be a great trip, with all kinds of different adventures, beautiful places and memorable encounters with the locals.

For many, arriving in Hanoi is sort of a huge culture shock. It is loud, it is busy and it can be quiet dirty at times. I wasn’t too overwhelmed and actually got to like it pretty much right away. It’s a very dynamic city, the street food is marvelous and, contrary to what I have heard before, I found the locals very friendly. What I found very striking and what accompanied me as we traveled across the country was Vietnam’s ambivalent relation to the past and present. On the one hand the country’s history plays a very important role and sometimes seems to even dominate its society. The colonial times, the Vietnam War but also all of the ancient history – in an abstract way it is something that is ever-present wherever you go. On the other hand you will see a country that is on the move, values change, a new middle-class is emerging and the young people want to advance, leave things behind and move forward. In Hanoi this interesting mix became most evident.

So what about the tourism in Vietnam? It is said that Vietnam is the touristiest Southeast Asian country just after Thailand. It is true that these days the country gets a huge influx of tourists of all kinds – backpackers as well as all inclusive tours from Europe, the US and China. But there are still ways to dodge the crowds. Our motorbike trip across the mountains of Ha Giang was a perfect example for this. It is a bit out of the way, it takes some time, it might be inconvenient for some but for us the adventure we got in exchange was more than rewarding. Beautiful scenery, authentic hill tribes and yet not a lot of tourists made it one of the best trips of my entire journey.

At the same time, things can become very touristy. Good examples would be the tours of Halong Bay (which I did but did not even cover here), in my opinion one of the most overrated things ever, the still picturesque Hoi An and beach getaways like Nha Trang. I guess it depends what you are after and how you define a great holiday. The good thing about Vietnam is, that it offers a little bit of everything.

One thing is for sure though; Vietnam is the perfect country to be explored by motorbike. As most of you might know by now, it is my preferred type of transport anyhow. But Vietnam offers a great variety of exciting and interesting motorbike tours. At first my plan was to buy a bike in Hanoi and then drive down all the way to Saigon to sell it. But I soon realized that, in order to travel without time pressure, this endeavor would take more than a month. Some people do it in 2-3 weeks but I think besides the riding and a severe butt pain at the end, a trip like that wouldn’t be that enjoyable. I opted for renting here and there, either for day trips or extended road trips. Looking back at it, this was the best decision and enabled us to make the most out of the 4 weeks we had. I can recommend doing the Ha Giang loop in the North, going from Hue to Hoi and via Danang and day tours in Dalat or the Mekong Delta. Every one of these trips was worth it and with an average price of about 5-7 USD per day for a bike, it’s affordable as well.

I was positively surprised by the Vietnamese people as I heard a few bad stories before. Everyone was friendly and helpful and we had some great encounters with the locals. They can be very straight forward and they do let it show if they are not content with something. But once you learn how to interpret this, everything is fine. What I found frustrating at times was the fact that you had to haggle for literally everything. Transport, goods and sometimes even a bottle of water. To a certain degree this can be found in all of Southeast Asia and it’s normal but here it was a little too much. It seemed like people perceive Western tourists as moneybags and always try to extract the biggest amount of money as possible. As I later learned, this as well has its roots in former governmental policies and is only slowly changing. At the end of my trip the constant haggling and the abstract feeling of being overcharged just became very tiring.

I finished my journey in the Mekong Delta which somehow felt like coming home or the end of an important part of my trip. I had followed this “Mother of Waters” all the way down from Thailand, through Laos and Cambodia before making it here, where the stream empties into the South China Sea. The river had accompanied me for a long time and it made for some great memories along its banks. As different as the countries are the Mekong flows through, as different are the many faces of the river itself. From a slow and lazy stream to wild and roaring waterfalls and finally branching out into a network of small distributaries – the Mekong represents the many facets of South East Asia and I am sure that one day I will explore its origins in China and Tibet.

My First Impression Trekking Sapa

By Audrey Scott

Even in winter, Sapa’s landscape dazzles with its rolling hills and terraced rice fields. The villages and people are just as unique. It’s like a portal to another world.

Su was our trusty Black Hmong guide dressed in a dark indigo top and skirt with brightly embroidered trim, velvet strips wrapped around her legs and comfortable sneakers. Within moments of leaving the hotel, we were surrounded by a gaggle of (giggling) girls who came only to hip level and danced around us calling out “what’s your name?” “how old are you?” “do you have any brothers or sisters?”.

Trekking Sapa is like walking through a time warp. Women with bright red headdresses and clothing covered in colorful embroidery walk by with babies and wicker basket backpacks on their backs. Girls are miniature versions or their mothers, learning how to embroider (and sell) at an early age. Boys play in the fields and tend to the water buffalos. Houses are simple structures with dirt floors, often without electricity or running water.

The second day of trekking tour took us through deeper valleys and muddier paths into villages of other ethnic groups. Children and women with heavy loads on their backs flitted over the hills and steep paths with simple sandals, while tourists in sturdy hiking boots were falling all over each other trying to stay balanced. The simplicity, scope and beauty of the surrounding terraced rice fields was impressive.

We had a long walk ahead of us and weren’t interested in buying any souvenirs. We were waiting for the shopping opportunities at Bac Ha market. At one of the resting points, a Red Dao woman latched onto me. Acutely aware of her befriend-and-sell strategy, I told her straight away that we weren’t shopping that day. The woman laughed and continued to walk with us.

Sapa is like no other place we’ve visited. It is a visually spectacular, magical place – with its endless hills of terraced rice fields and concentration of hill tribe ethnic minorities whose colorful traditional clothing beautifully accent the landscape. It doesn’t feel like people are wearing traditional attire just to please tourists and their cameras – their dress is a matter of pride and identity.

I wonder how life in the villages and people will change over the next few years. Already, children from the villages stay in town for several days at a time to accompany tourists and sell handicrafts. When I asked Su how tourism had changed her village, she replied that it hasn’t changed it too much yet, but that in 15 years it will be very different. I believe she’s underestimating the pace of change.

Not all change is bad, of course – sometimes it brings a better standard of life with improved health care, education and nutrition. However, if Vietnam wants to preserve the uniqueness and cultures of its ethnic minorities, it will need to responsibly manage the tourism boom in places like Sapa.