The Best of Vietnam – Part 1 (North/Central)

Over the last 18 days we have visited 8 cities covering the Northern, Central and Southern parts of Vietnam. We have learned much about the history and culture of this beautiful country. Our days have consisted of adventurous activities, many boat rides, a few long bus rides and meeting a lot of very friendly people. Below are some of our favorite moments and stories from the first half of our trip through Vietnam.

Hanoi – We stayed in the old city which is bustling with street vendors, motorbikes and pedestrians all mixed together. The streets are quite narrow and filled with activity both day and night. It’s a blend of cultures as many people from other countries are living there. The beer is very cheap and can be purchased in the evening straight from a keg on the side of the street for 5,000 VMD ($0.22).

One experience not to be missed is the to take a half day city tour on the back of a motorbike. It’s the best way to get in the middle of all the action. I was a bit scared at first!

We took two overnight trips from Hanoi. The first to Mai Chau to the west and the second to Halong Bay to the east. Both places are a definite must during a visit to north Vietnam. Each one offers something entirely different.  

Mai Chau is located in the valley between mountains and is home to beautiful terraced rice fields and sprinkled with small villages. We spent the afternoon riding bicycles through the fields. The landscape is so green and goes for as far a you can see. We had a chance to visit several local homes and meet the local people.

Our best memory from Mai Chau is the motorcycle taxi ride we took up to the terraced rice fields. We made it all the way to the top of the dirt road just before it started to pour down rain. It did not stop us from trekking around and through the fields to take in the spectacular views. By the time we decided to head back, there was muddy water running down the path. We had to get off the motorbikes and hike down the hills before we could get back on and ride back to town. The rain never stopped and we were completely soaked. 

Halong Bay was our next stop. If you have seen pictures of Vietnam, you have likely seen Halong Bay. The bay covers an area of 334 square kilometers and there are over 1,900 islands.

While the area is so beautiful, it is a bit tainted by the amount of boats (there are 700+ passenger boats), as well as the trash floating in the water. We tried to look past those things and enjoy the experience. Our trip was a 2 day / 1 night cruise. with Halong Lavender Cruise Company. The crew did a wonderful job with the activities for their guests. 

Our ship made several stops within the bay for some sight seeing. The first was a large cave which is the only access to a lagoon. It is only accessible during low tide. We grabbed the chance to venture into it by kayak.

The next stop was to climb 700 stairs to the top of Titop island. The reward is a great view of the surrounding area from a very tall point in the bay.  

The following morning we went to Sung Sot Cave. Again we climbed 600 stairs to reach the entrance. It was very large on the inside. This cave is considered to the most beautiful cave in the bay. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We really enjoyed Hanoi and the day trips we took to the surrounding area. After Hanoi,  our journey took us south to the city of Hue. During our stay we took a tour of the local area with a guide. Historically, Hue was the capital of Vietnam before it was moved to Hanoi in 1945. We visited two tombs of Vietnam Kings. It is amazing to see the amount of money that was spent on building the elaborate tombs when the people living in the villages we very poor.

The Tomb of Kai Dinh was constructed by over 10,000 workers over the course of 11 years and was finished in 1931. He was considered to be a horrible king that did nothing for the people of the Vietnam. He issued a tax that all people had to pay a 30% tax on their property in order to pay for the building of his tomb. It created more poverty for the people.

The second tomb we visited was The Tomb of Minh Mang. The area is much more like a park than a shrine to the king. Minh Mang chose the spot for his tomb during his life. While the building process he became ill and died. He was buried on the grounds in 1841 before the construction was finished. 

Another interesting stop was the Citadel. It took many years to build and finished construction in 1832. While it was used for defense during multiple wars it was also used throughout its history as a palace for the kings. and their families. There were over 100 buildings located on the grounds, each with their own purpose. What we can see today is only a fraction of what was once there. Unfortunately the American bombing destroyed over 50% of the buildings. 

Our last stop was the Thein Mu Pagoda. The Pagoda was built in the 19th century as a gift from the king to his grandmother on her 80th Birthday. Since then it has been a home to many monks and a place of prayer. 

I know we have seen a lot of them lately but this one holds a higher significance. Within its walls is a relic. It holds a lot of importance to the Buddhist people.

 

On June 11, 1963 a monk (now referred to as “The Most Venerable”) got out of this car in the city of Saigon, sat down on the ground and burned himself to death. He did this as a protest against the policies of the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. The picture of this moment was on the cover of newspapers and magazines all over the world.

The old city of Hue is a nice place to spend the evenings. There are many restaurants and shops down town. We enjoyed walking around, people watching and enjoyed nightly happy hour. Another neat thing to do in the evenings is visit the night market along the river. 

We are really enjoying our trip through Vietnam.  The next 10 days will take us further into central and down to southern parts of the country. Our journey will continue to the small riverside city of Hoi An.