GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!

FOR TIPS AND MUST DOS GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!

Hot and sunny down here by the tropics as we port into good ole Ho Chi Minh City! We were greeted by some lovely humidity, chaotic motorbike traffic, and my favorite country thus far. Vietnam rocks. First I’d like to touch on the motorbikes. Thousands zipped through the streets making it a puzzle to cross. We’d see three to four people

crammed on one and trees piled on the back of others. Imagine mini cumquat trees zooming past you every 10 seconds. Cumquat trees were everywhere this time of year as Vietnams New Year was right around the corner. Cumquat trees are known as good luck for the Vietnamese New Year.

Strolling through Ho Chi Minh City you will find sidewalks full of people sitting outside eating a meal, shopping in the black markets, and construction scattered through the streets making it more impossible to walk. Side note: remember the scene in Mulan where the grandma covered her eyes and walked across the street without being touched? That’s exactly how you walk across the road here. Nice and slow, and the cars and motorbikes will make their way around you. Except, please open your eyes. Feeling hot, hot, hot in this city, so we flew our way up to Hanoi!

Hanoi, Vietnams old capital, is a smaller and less chaotic version of Ho Chi Minh. A fun, lively town where temperatures dropped at least 15-20 degrees making my goosebumps rise above. We spent a day and a night here exploring the city. Our hotel, promptly placed in the center of the old town, surrounded us with restaurants and clubs for our entertainment. My first time to eat Mexican food abroad was making me crave Tex-Mex more than I had previously. It didn’t compare, but I applaud you on your effort, Vietnam. We spent our day in Hanoi shopping through the silk markets, getting fish pedicures, and eating the most delicious pho ever. Pho is pronounced “phuh” for those who don’t know. The fish pedicure was the unusual sensation of my life. Imagine tiny vibrations covering every inch of your foot only to see 200 hundred fish eating away your dead skin. I cackled for five minutes at the ticklish feeling but was surprised at how pleasant of a time I was having. I don’t think you will ever know how much dead skin you have on your feet until you see it coming off in the water. TMI? Sorry.

The next morning we took a seaplane to Halong Bay. We floated amidst the clouds with nothing in sight until we dove into mountains jutting out of the ground. Though fog loomed, it didn’t stop this view from being incredible. We skidded across the bay and made it to the island, which was like a Vietnamese Seaside during the winter. Cute as ever but so deserted. It felt like we were the only ones on the island. Due to the lack of recreational activities, Vietnam is known to have lovely and cheap spas so naturally, we took a spa day. That night we had no luck finding a local restaurant, so we stayed with our hotel. At least we tried!

The next morning we set sail for a day on the bay. The fog was still lurking, but that didn’t stop this magical experience. We explored hidden caves, hiked the hills, ate a traditional Vietnamese lunch, kayaked, and went to Halong Bays pearl farm. At the pearl farm, we saw the whole process of how pearls formed and how they grew. Everything about this day was amazing. To kayaking through the cove, walking through breathtaking caves, and gazing upon bird’s eye view of the bay, our world never ceases to amaze me. I will never be able to fathom God’s creation and how his beauty and glory shines through everything around us, and something like this smacks you in the face with his vision. Halong Bay is also one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Checked one off, six more to go!

We flew back to Ho Chi Minh City and spent a day on the Mekong Delta. Out in the countryside of Vietnam, this day shot its way up to the top of my list. We explored small villages, tried different kinds of honey and fruits, floated down the delta, took a horse buggy to eat in the middle of nowhere, drank fresh coconut water straight from

coconuts, and saw the “Happy Buddha.” This trip was also the first time I had touched a snake and seen a beautiful resort-style rest stop. This day was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the city. To see how people spend their days outside of the town was very eye-opening. They were hammocks set up through trees where they slept and little huts as homes. Most of them were trying to sell their products to us or sitting on the side of their store hanging out with friends and family. They live such simple lives. After the past three countries, I’ve visited, I feel so undeservingly blessed with my life at home. Our sweet tour guide made this day with his smile and helpfulness teaching us about each thing we saw — another day for the books that’s for sure.

Back to Ho Chi Minh City and we spent our last day walking across town getting to know the city. One of the last stops we made was at the Vietnam War Museum, or as they call it the American War. It was interesting to compare views of the war from each side. When you talk to war veterans in the states, you will see how proud they were to be apart of that war. It’s rewarding to feel as if you’ve helped someone out. Fighting for your country is a heroic honor and something I could never imagine myself doing. But when you see the pictures and details of how the Vietnamese view the war, American soldiers looked as if they had gone mad. The brutal killings of thousands of innocent people made my heart brake. They are in their fourth generation of congenital disabilities after Agent Orange. Cleary this was very biased, but it puts you into perspective about both sides and how we’re not exposed to this side in America, especially in our history classes. It was indeed a mind-blowing experience, and I’m frankly shocked that the Vietnamese treated us Americans with such kindness.

On a lighter note, one of the bars we went to had the most creative drinks. One drink came in a giant pirate ship, another came in a treasure chest, and mine came in a Birkin bag. A Birkin bag. Also, the fried rice and egg rolls are remarkable, and I will be back for more. If you go to the black markets, haggle, haggle, haggle! They will shoot their prices up but never settled. It’s quite thrilling. If you’re looking for your next vacation destination, I highly consider Vietnam. It’s a lively, beautiful country that is so cheap. I think your wallets will like that. I’ll be back for you sweet Vietnam, just you wait.

xo,

Cat

 

 

 

 

 

TIPS AND MUST DOS:
If you ever find yourself in Vietnam, here are some tips they may heighten your experience.

HO CHI MINH CITY

Things to do:

• Shop at the black markets
• Try the famous iced coffee
• Visit the Vietnam War Museum
• See the pink church
• Shop the Ben Thành market
• Walk the city
• Take a day trip from Ho Chi Minh to the Mekong Delta through Viator, such a highlight of my trip

Places to eat:

• RuNam Cafe
• Hotel Des Arts
• SOHY – Sky lounge and dining (rooftop restaurant with the elaborate drinks)
• Shri Restaurant and Lounge
• Fly Garden Cafe
• Tuk Tuk restaurant
• Any local Pho restaurant, you can’t beat it here

HANOI

Things to do and places to stay:

• Hotel Essence (great service and location – around lots of restaurants)
• Pearl Spa for massages, mani/pedis, etc.
• Many historic buildings to visit
• More markets to shop
• It’s easy to walk this city
• Club Opera

Places to eat:

• Naturaw (smoothies and healthy eating)
• RuNam Cafe is also here
• A lot of cafes and restaurants in the old town, especially by the Hotel Essence

HALONG BAY

Things to do, places to eat, and stay:

• There’s not a lot to do in Halong City besides seeing Halong Bay so I recommend only staying one night
• We took a seaplane to get there which was INCREDIBLE but no need to take one back – rent a shuttle or bus and it’s a two hour drive back to Hanoi
• Take a boat day trip through Halong Bay and it will take you through the bay, to the caves, the pearl farms, and Bai Tho Mountain while providing food and drinks (no need to sleep on the boat)
• If you stay the night, Stay at Halong Paradise Hotel Suites (adorable), take a spa day at the hotel, and eat at their restaurant or 1958 next door – otherwise we found there was nothing else to do

More tips:

• If you want a more tropical vibe, Vietnam is filled with beautiful beaches. A few of my friends friends flew to the island Phú Quóc and had the best time there
• Bring toilet paper on the boat in Halong Bay
• Loose, longer clothing is recommended here but it’s fine to wear shorts and short sleeved tops
• Uber works in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City , but be careful of the motorbike ubers –  bad accidents happen with them