Vietnam — a country which is exotic and compelling
After ending our three day trip to Cambodia, we headed to Vietnam, a country of breathtaking natural wonders. With mystical hills, historical landmarks and variety of foods, Vietnam is a marvellous country to explore at its best. From the natural beauty of Halong Bay, Sapa Valley and a few beaches to the man-made artistry of the sacred temples, pagodas and the rice terraces, Vietnam has a lot to offer for any type of traveller.
History of Vietnam is pretty rough. You won’t be able to refrain yourself from being fascinated by Vietnam’s long and interesting history even if you’re not a history buff. It is one of the oldest cultures in Southeast Asia and ever since it has been influenced by many others: Chinese, Khmer, Indian, Japanese and also Western. In fact, each city has monuments and museums that showcase the country’s deep-seated history.
Our total trip duration was for 6 days. But Vietnam is worth more than just 6 days!! Given the vastness and variety this country offers, one would need a luxury time of at least a month to really get to know Vietnam. We were determined enough to fit in as much as possible, and covered most of the major attractions that are most visited.
On day 1 we visited Hanoi. Backpackers and travellers alike visit Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital. It’s either the starting or finishing point for travellers in the country as most people go north to south or south to north. In our case, Hanoi was the starting point, as we reached directly from Siem Reap. Navigating through bustling streets of Old Town Hanoi was an experience in itself and charm of the Old French Quarters were so entertaining. Hanoi is also one of the best places to visit in Vietnam to eat endless local Vietnamese foods on just about every street corner. It also serves as the base for tours to Sapa Valley, Tam Coc and Halong Bay.
Few of the major attractions in Hanoi includes visiting famous pagodas like One pillar pagoda, visiting temple of literature, wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake, visiting museums like Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and museum of ethnology. If you have the luxury of time to spend in Hanoi you can also watch the famous puppet show.
Halong Bay
On day 2 and day 3 we did an overnight stay at Halong Bay. We reached the spot from Hanoi after a 4 hour journey. Tour operators generally pick up guests from their hotels in Hanoi. Halong Bay is a beautiful natural wonder located in the northern Vietnam, which has recently earned a place in the new 7 wonders of nature list. It is famous for its fascinating limestone karst scenery with around 3,000 islands rising from the clear emerald water of the Bac Bo Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin). “Halong” in Vietnamese means “the dragon descending to the sea” and is the highlight of any Vietnam trip. It’s no surprise that it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its beauty and rich cultural heritage. Along with limestone islands, many natural caves have formed here over time.
Top things to do in Halong bay is to take an overnight cruise to experience at least one sunset and one sunrise. There are many famous tour operators who offer good cruise services with ample activities to explore the grottoes, caves and tiny islands. Kayaking is the one of the major activities to get an up close and natural view of these limestone islands. Day trips are also available in case you don’t have the luxury of time, but it would be highly tiring and not worth, considering the beauty of this place needs more time to appreciate.
The alternate routes for Halong Bay cruise:
Halong Bay is legendary for a reason, but turns out that millions of other annual visitors know this too. The good news is Halong Bay is not the only place of its kind. Other routes like Bai Tu Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay are Halong Bay alternatives with the same splendour and lesser crowds. You can expect nearly 1000 -1500 boats anchoring in Halong Bay every night whereas in Bai Tu Long you see hardly 200–500 boats (considering peak season with large tourist inflow). From local dock to pristine islands, Bai Tu Long Bay is as unaffected as you’d first imagine Halong Bay to be. The waters are stiller and you can cruise for hours without spotting another tourist boat.
Lan ha Bay is yet another ‘sleeping beauty’ located far away from the boat crush in Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, reserves a pristine scenery with many lagoons, beaches and caves are waiting to be discovered. Everything is just getting started in this destination. Both Bai Tu Long and Lan Ha Bay offers private beach experience where only you and your travel mates set foot on, which is a major advantage over choosing Halong bay route. You can reach the beach by kayaking through the limestone islands.
Cruise Operators: There are plenty of cruise operators who offer Halong bay route but there are very few who offer other routes. Approximately the cost for an overnight stay to Bai Tu Long bay would be around $100–120 inclusive of stay, food and activities.
Tam Coc & Sapa Valley
On day 4 we visited Tam-Coc. It is a miniature landlocked version of Halong Bay surrounded by lush green paddy fields that merges with river in the most mystical manner. Tam Coc, which means three caves in Vietnamese, and is located only 90 km from Hanoi. The area is part of the famous Trang An Landscape Complex UNESCO World Heritage site. An ideal way to plan a visit to Tam Coc would be take a day tour from Hanoi, but there are options to stay overnight and indulge in the panoramic view of the river, rice fields and the caves.
Major highlight of Tam Coc is to take the row boat and explore the rice fields and karst rocks surround the Ngo Dong River. The local women and men row the wooden paddles of the boat with their feet skilfully. Other attractions include visiting the Hoa Lu Capital, which usually comes before taking the row boat in typical tour itineraries and biking through the remote rice paddy fields near the Van Lam village, where you will be provided with simple city bike. There is also a trek up to Mua caves from where you insta worthy views of the river and caves from top angle. There are around 700 steps to reach the peak and the climb would be moderate.
Sapa is a collection of small local villages around the mountains located northwest to Vietnam. These villages are home to a diverse array of ethnic minorities, each with their own rich culture and customs. The scenery of Sapa is also stunning with lush green terrace rice fields that are apt for a hiking. There are many overnight tours available from Hanoi to Sapa. The best way to reach Sapa is via train in case if you wish to visit on your own. The nearest station is Lao Cai Railway Station from where you need to take shuttle bus to Sapa. Many local homestays and hotels in Sapa offers various single day or multiple day trips through the villages and rice terraces outside of Sapa. Another famous attraction is Fansipan mountain which is the highest mountain in Indochinese peninsula. The peak can be reached by either trekking or by taking a cable car.
Hoi An
Hoi An is an ancient town surrounded by exceptionally colourful colonial buildings, lively restaurants and exquisite tailoring/shopping outlets. Also known as the city of lanterns, Hoi An is known for its magical array of beautifully coloured lanterns lighting up the sidewalks and night markets. Being listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An is definitely one of the beautiful places in Vietnam with full of colours. Hoi An does not have its own airport or railway station. Hence, the only way to get there directly is via road. The adjacent city of Da Nang has both a railway station and airport from where it takes roughly around an hour to reach Hoi An and are efficiently connected to most of the other important Vietnamese cities.
On day 5 and 6 we stayed at Hoi An. Two to three days would be ideal to explore the entire city. Major attractions being visiting Hoi An Old town and central market, Japanese cover bridge which is the most iconic bridge of the town, colourfully painted in red with a wooden pagoda roof. Other activities to include are shopping (must try the customised tailoring outlets for leather and clothes) and indulging in the nightlife near the riverside restaurants. Coffee tastes best here and there are many shops to try.
Visa & Other Informations
Vietnam has Visa On Arrival which is the most easiest and convenient way to obtain a tourist visa. There are many online agents but there are some inefficient cut-priced operators out there. It’s recommended to stick to well-established companies. Few of the recommended agents are:
Vietnam Visa Choice (www.vietnamvisachoice.com)
Vietnam Visa Center (www.vietnamvisacenter.org)
Vietnam Visa( https://vietnamvisa.govt.vn ) (Agent we used)
The process is straightforward: You need to fill out an online application form and pay the agency fee ( US$8 for 1 month single entry). You’ll then receive by email a VOA approval letter signed by Vietnamese immigration that you print out and show on arrival, where you pay your visa stamping fee in US dollars, cash only. The single-entry stamping fee is US$25, a multiple-entry stamping fee is US$50.
Safety in Vietnam:
Vietnam is generally safe for tourists and there are so many late night shops/eateries which are crowded with people till late night. There are many card related frauds in Vietnam and it is generally safer to use cards at established places and cash at smaller ones. Driving in Hanoi is a bit dangerous and there is absolute flouting of traffic rules. But other than that the places in general are pretty safe.
Where we stayed:
Hanoi: Mai Charming Hotel
Halong Bay: Swan cruise
Hoi An: Hoi An Holiday Villa
So what are you waiting for. Start packing for your exciting journey ahead!! 🤩
