We spent the first two weeks in Vietnam longing for the hospitality and genuine smiles we found throughout Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Unfortunately, the Vietnam we found was similar to the one Nomadic Matt depicted in "Why I Will Never Return to Vietnam". Prior to our trip, we read his post and were concerned about having a similar experience but we knew that we had to see Vietnam for ourselves before making such a bold statement. Two weeks in and regrettably we shared the same sentiments as Matt. Since we plan our travels as we go, we made a joint decision to fly to Laos after Hue and therefore planned to skip Halong Bay and Sapa altogether. These two places were on our "must see" list but unfortunately they were the last places we planned to visit. We were burnt out and ready to leave. Then the day before our scheduled flight to Laos, we did some reconsidering. We knew that if we decided to never return to Vietnam then at least that decision should be made after visiting all the major points of interest. So after lunch and Vietnamese coffee, we went to a travel agency, changed our flight and extended our stay for another 5 days which ironically was the best decision we made in Vietnam!
The next day we left the hostile, dirty, and bustling streets of Hanoi and boarded a two night three day Chinese junker boat for Halong Bay. Our boat took the less traveled route through Bai Tu Long Bay which made the experience even better. We realized that the best of Vietnam lay in the north and we just hadn't made it there yet. From the ship we took kayaks through the emerald green water. As we glided through the calm waters, we enjoyed the quiet misty air only to be interrupted by the call of massive hawks which flew above our heads. We were surrounded by over 2,000 limestone karsts for as far as the eye could see. The experience was both relaxing and surreal. Vietnamese and Thai food has been some of our favorite during our travels and the chefs on the junk boat delivered the best of the Vietnamese cuisine. On the last night, we had a candlelit grilled seafood dinner in a cave. The dinner was beautifully executed and the Vietnamese flavors still linger on my palate. Before returning to the mainland, we had the oppurtunity to see a floating village and get a feel for the lives of fishermen and their families which spend every day on the water.
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| Our breathtaking view for three days |
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| Fishing village |
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| Fishing house boat |
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| Look what I found! |
After completing the cruise we continued our northern adventure on an overnight train to the Northwest Vietnam town of Sapa. Sapa is located just few miles south of the Chinese border and is home to the hill tribes of Vietnam. The inhabitants of Sapa and the surrounding villages are very different than the Vietnamese we have met and after speaking with them we learned that they do not even consider themselves to be Vietnamese. The people of Sapa and the surrounding mountain villages are comprised of eight different minority ethnic groups who reside in Vietnam and Laos as well as China and other parts of the world. Traditionally, they comprise of farming communities each with their own language and culture. The inhabitants primarily farm rice and corn for self sustenance. They are completey self sufficient and surprisingly did not have electricity in their villages until 10 years ago! We have learned that a lot has changed with the introduction tourism but their traditions and culture still persist. We hiked, talked, ate, and interacted with the local people from the Black Hmong and Red Dao tribes. The trekking was beautiful as we hiked around the terraced rice fields. There was a constant sprinkle while we were there so the ladies were always willing to give me a hand as I was slipping and sliding in the mud.
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| Sapa |
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| These kiddos were so happy to see us eating the same berry that makes their mouths blue |
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| After playing with indigo |
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| Some ladies had a little too much rice wine |
Thanks to the warm tribal people, we left with a good taste in our mouths and unforgettable memories. This was indeed the best of Vietnam. This is the Vietnam that I would recommend. And as for returning to Vietnam; we came, we saw, we conquered...and as with Matt we will probably never return.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the experience you may have. I implore you to get out and discover Vietnam for yourself!
"A mile of road can take you a mile, but a mile of runway can take you anywhere." - Unknown
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