The people of Vietnam make this beautiful country so special. Most of my trip I was traveling with a local guide (Vu in the south and Tango in the north - two of the best guides I have encountered globally) which makes interactions easy. But even when I was on my own communicating with no shared language the people were incredibly kind, helpful, and often smiling.
I started right off with touring in Saigon visiting the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum and Saigon Central Post Office. And in half a day I learned more about the Vietnam War (or the “American War” as it is referred to there for obvious reasons) than I have learned in my entire life to this point. The palace is like going back in time. It was the home of the president in 1975 when it was stormed by North Vietnamese who drove tanks into the glass. And everything inside looks as it did then.
The War Remnants Museum is difficult to walk through but also important. There are three floors of photographs and artifacts. Everyone inside was somber as we walked and read. Seeing the POW prison outside was so incredibly horrific and eye opening.
It was nice to have a heartwarming experience at the post office after the intense visit. Here was the sweetest old man. He spoke no English. My guide explained that he was a public writer and he has been coming to the post office for 50 years. Many people could not read or wrote and so he would listen and write their letters for them to mail. And he still shows up, just in case he is needed.
Now off on a vespa food tour! Food is just a part of the culture here as well as the vespa which are the most popular way to travel. We had spicy noodles, banh mi, spring rolls, soup, and even frog legs.(and yes, frog legs DO taste just like chicken!) Such a fun experience and even though many tourists do this, it didn’t feel ‘touristy’ as we were eating in little restaurants with locals, who again were kind and friendly.
Venturing a little further out in Ho Chi Minh City we went to the Mekong Delta. The area is so scenic with its terraced rice fields and canals. We took a boat to a coconut farm where we watched them clean and cut, hundreds of coconuts. We rode bikes to a local restaurant for another incredible meal.
I flew to Danang (the central part of Vietnam) and traveled to Hot An. The drive along the coast was one large construction site after another. Apparently a number of all inclusive resorts are coming to the area in the near future.
We stopped at My Son Sanctuary which is often referred to as a mini Angkor Wot. It was built between the 4th and 14th centuries and still largely intact. Though there are bomb craters from the war.
The night market in Hoi An is a must do. Along the canal are shops and restaurants. All colorfully lit with lanterns. Great for strolling, eating, and some fantastic photo ops. We went to the market in the morning for fresh produce and joined a local cooking class.
We went out on literal baskets on the water to watch the local fisherman throw nets to catch fish. They make it look so easy but it is a skill learned over a lifetime.
The last leg of the trip was driving to Hanoi and then cruising out to Ha Long Bay. There are over 1,600 islands amid huge limestone pillars called karsts. The area covers 1.553sq km and has 1,993 mountains. I took at least 37 pictures and noe really did it justice. Onboard the ship we did yoga in the morning on the deck. Visited Sung Sot Cave which was used as a local hideout and makeshift hospital during the war. It was huge, we spent at least 30 minutes walking through and turns out Sung Sot translates to “Surprise” cave as it is deceiving from outside how incredible it really is.
Overall views in Ha Long Bay do not get old and do not disappoint.
Back in Hanoi we drive through the city and see the government buildings. We also took a bicycle tour around the neighborhoods. Here I ran into an adorable boy who said “hello”. When I answered “hello” and smiled and ran. Within minutes there were 10 more children around me speaking. A teacher followed and said they were in an English language class and could they practice. So we spoke for a bit. My favorite part - one boy asked me “do you like Vietnamese food?” And I said yes. He smiled and yelled “ME TOO!”
Vietnam is such a beautiful country with such beautiful people.
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