Mekong, Vietnam
A day exploring locals and their lives on the Mekong River.
You’ll see completely different lifestyles from Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi venturing along the Mekong River for a day.
We booked a tour through The Sinh Tourist, a well known tour provider in Vietnam. They ask you to check in the day before the tour which isn’t difficult since they have a convenient Ho Chi Minh location that is centrally located. It’s also the meeting place to embark on the tour.
The Mekong river is the 12th longest river in the world and goes through several countries, so we really were only able to see a tiny portion of it.
The start of the tour is a couple hours outside the city by tour bus. After arriving, we boarded a boat with our group that served as our main transportation for the day.
The group's tour boat for the day
The first thing immediately noticeable is how murky brown the river is. This is apparently due to the abundance of minerals in the water rather it being dirty, as we were told.
We made our way down the river, which is pretty wide, passing traps in the water and locals fishing from their boats. The Mekong river is central to many people's lives.
Visiting a rice paper maker was the first stop. While many of the ones we see in stores are more likely to be machine made, the people we saw were doing it completely by hand. Made like a crepe, the wrap is then laid on screens to dry out in the sun.
A woman making rice paper by hand.
Lunch was held at an open dining area nearby where we shared tables and local dishes with other group members.
After our meal, it was back on the boat and up a narrower alleyway.
Getting into buggies pulled by some small horses, we rode through a small town. It was a bit sad as the horses seemed exhausted and were being constantly hit with a small, cord-type of whip. We rode from several minutes, got off and made our way to a little gathering area where we ate some fruit while watching a local music performance.
Jumping into small wooden boats, we all made our way through a narrow waterway under a tunnel of vegetation back to our tour boat. Each of the little boats were captained by a local that rowed us for half the journey and switched on the motor for the last half.
The final stop was at a local candy maker. We watched them turning an off-white liquid into a candy that I'd describe as like a coconut taffy. Poured into rows, they were dried, cut and then individually wrapped.
Our river tour came to an end when our bus dropped us back off at the departure point near The Sinh Tourist's main office location. We got back in the late afternoon, leaving the rest of the night to explore the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh.
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Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
A bustling city that mixes history with modern.
Our visit to Ho Chi Minh began with us suddenly having no place to stay.
Ho Chi Minh immediately felt like a major city after flying in one evening from Hanoi on a pretty scenic Vietnam Airlines flight
Catching a taxi from the airport, the driver decided to take quite a roundabout route, perhaps due to traffic, but it began to feel like he was milking the meter because it was more than a scenic route.
Things went a bit more off course when The Town House 50 hotel/hostel staff told us that the hotel room we reserved was given to another guest due to a “problem in another room.” We weren’t informed or re-accommodated.
So there we were that first evening with no place to stay.
We were introduced to a place next door, one where the entrance was suspiciously through the back of a barber shop. Everything was too shady to say yes to the dingy room so we took off.
With our backpacks on our backs, we began roaming the Ho Chi Minh streets going up to the front desks of any legitimate-looking hotel. Alas after a few tries, we found an available room at the centrally located A&EM 280 Le Thanh.
Our first stop was checking out Ben Thanh night market nearby, one of the most well known ones in the city. Set up like a flea market, the area is lively and booths sell everything from knock-off sneakers to random fashion items and toys.
We grabbed some food - pho and spring rolls, of course - at a crowded random eatery where a Korean TV crew was filming. Ho Chi Minh, it seemed, was a popular travel destination for Korean tourists at the time.
The biggest reason we decided to stay in Ho Chi Minh was to experience the Mekong River (I’ll write about the experience in the next blog). We booked a tour through The Sinh Tourist - if you do too, keep in mind that they require you to check in before the date of your tour.
Most of the time in Ho Chi Minh was spent wandering different areas, checking out local markets while trying to stay dry from sudden thunderstorms. We went in September, which falls in their rainy season (May thru November), and it's no joke.
You'll want to bring a rain jacket with you at all times as we had a perfectly sunny day suddenly turn into a puddle-hopping downpour in no time.
If you're looking for the best view of the city, head up to the modern Saigon Skydeck in the Bitexco Financial Tower (where the photo below and the top photo were taken). There's also EON Heli Bar which we stopped by, a modern lounge with views of the city. It can get really lively, full of tourists and expats, but the staff were helpful in getting us a seat.
Ho Chi Minh is a spread out city, and places aren't as close as they may seem on the map. Luckily there are cafes and food shops here and there to stop by at. And McDonald's, of course!
Just before heading the airport, we grabbed some coffee and finished our trip off with a massage in the Ben Thanh area, a place almost like a little Japan Town.
Vietnamese coffee is really good, and even though it's a commercial chain, my favorite was found at Highlands. It's their version of Starbucks (try their Truyền thống/Traditional Blend and Di Sản/Heritage Blend) and they absolutely need to open up shops globally.
Will wait.
If you're debating which is better for a first trip, Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi though, I recommend Hanoi. Here's why.
Quán Thuý 94 Cũ
A hole in the wall joint, Quan Thuy 94 Cu specializes in Vietnamese seafood dishes. It's a really casual place, and while it's mostly filled with locals, you can tell that they're no stranger to tourists as well. Their crab fried rice definitely stuck out and they don't skimp on the crab. Definitely order it if you stop by.
Che Nam Bo
I didn't realize how refreshing Vietnamese desserts were until spending the day exploring. Che Nam Bo is perfect for a quick stop. It's laid back, nothing fancy, and has the vibe of a family business in the local neighborhood. Some sweets like the coconut flan are already prepared while others are made fresh when you order.
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Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
It's easy to see why Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most popular go-to spots in Vietnam.
![Ha Long Bay, Vietnam [BUY PRINT]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f8b23b0626755198127ae3/1677527207700-ILOBRNT6DX7PXC111EFS/vietnam-halong-bay-01.jpg)
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam [BUY PRINT]
Ha Long Bay is often the main destination when people visit Hanoi. It was mine. It's really easy to see why it's both a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the 7 Wonders of Nature as it's a vast area of miraculous islands and karsts.
We booked a one-day boat tour through The Sinh Tourist. Before the tour date, they ask you to check in at their shop so we did so the night before. Their Hanoi Old Quarter location, one of a couple, was pretty convenient. One thing to be careful of is the imposter agencies nearby. They even use the same name and logo so double check the exact location. One tip is to take a look at their email address they display at the shop, if the domain isn’t thesinhtourist.vn, that’s not it.
A tour bus came to our hotel, the Noble & Swan Boutique Hotel, early the next morning and we embarked on the roughly 3 to 4 hour ride to Ha Long Bay. The bus made a stop along the way at a center selling arts and crafts, apparel, and various drinks and snacks - a good place to use the bathroom, stretch and grab a bite.
As soon as the boat left the port - an area being developed with nice vacation rentals - more and more karsts began to arise out of the water and we got the feeling that we would be seeing some amazing sights.
Ha Long Bay reminded me of parts of Thailand like Koh Phi Phi. While it's more vast than the Thailand islands, the water isn't as nice and unfortunately, there are places where you can see some trash floating around. Besides that, being surrounded by all of these formations really makes you feel like you're in another world. Quite Avatar-esque.
After a Vietnamese lunch in which we shared some fried fish, vegetables, spring rolls and other dishes with the others on our table, the boat docked for the rowboat experience.
We had the option of either sitting in a group boat with a rower or go at it on our own. Like most of the others, we chose the group option.
Our rowboat captain didn't say a word the entire time as she likely didn't speak any English, so don't expect a guided tour. It didn't really matter for our boat, however, the sights took up enough of our attention anyway. We went through tunnels to secluded inlets surrounded by the tall rock formations, and rowed by some locals on their boats.
Getting back on our cruise boat, we headed towards Dau Go island, an island known for Dong Thien Cung cave. The cave is a natural grotto full of stalactites and stalagmites that has become a major stopping point for Ha Long Bay tours.
If being around the karsts on the Bay is like being in another world, going into the cave ads another depth to it.
The inside of Dong Thien Cung cave is quite big and certain areas are illuminated with colorful lights. If you have trouble handiling closed spaces, you might find this a little challenging as the air can be a little humid and stale, and with only a few small openings to the outside.
Colorful Dong Thien Cung cave
After the caves, we returned back to the port where we boarded the bus to head back to Hanoi. We stopped at the same rest stop on the return, and arrived back at our hotel after a few hours to conclude the one-day trip.
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Hanoi, Vietnam
A city with an authentic feel that beats expectations and leaves you wishing for more time there.
Vietnam, in all honesty, wasn’t high up on my travel bucket list, so I was pleasantly surprised when Hanoi blew away my expectations and became one of the cities I want to revisit the most.
We started Hanoi off with a wild taxi ride from the airport where our driver spent more of his attention taking never-ending phone calls instead of the road.
Streets in the city are similar to many other places in Asia - to describe them as chaotic would be an understatement. Navigating Hanoi's definitely requires some getting used to, and a lot of times it's hold your breath, pray you don't get hit and just walk. No exaggeration.
Where we stayed
We stayed at the Noble & Swan Boutique Hotel, a centrally located hotel in the Old Quarter.
Upon checking in, a staff member sat us down and recommended some local eats. I had thought it was some business partner plug, but my skepticism disappeared entirely after that first bite of pho (I wrote about it below).
The hotel staff were some of the most genuinely kind people ever. One staff member even came outside as we were heading out for the day to shake our hand and explain that she would be off on our check-out day and she wanted to say thank you and goodbye. I'll definitely consider staying here again next time.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
The area near the Ngoc Son Temple part of the Hoan Kiem Lake area is quite picturesque in the evening. It was a Friday, and the entire lakeside area was lively with people hanging out, enjoying food and just having some fun.
In other parts of the Old Quarter as well, friends gathered on little plastic stools along the sidewalks to eat and have drinks. This was a common sight everywhere we walked.
We took a tour to Ha Long Bay the next day. A bus came to our hotel and brought us to our boat which was a few hours away. Ha Long Bay was such a wonder and nothing short of gorgeous, you can check out my exeperience here: Ha Long Bay
![Ha Long Bay, Vietnam [BUY PRINT]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f8b23b0626755198127ae3/1677527998390-0FB1BPAQJD3AOJ71Z9ZD/vietnam-halong-bay-01.jpg)
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam [BUY PRINT]
The vibe of the city and its people are what I really enjoyed about Hanoi... of course the food too, which I'll get to later.
It's a city that has both a busy and laid back feel at the same time. Mopeds, some with as many as a family of 6 on them, zoom by constantly. It has that endless buzz of traffic and bustle, yet people are laid back, hanging out outside cafes with friends at all hours in the day, even during work hours which I found to be interesting. Most people seemed to be polite and a little reserved, and we had no issues with any attempts to rip us off or anything like that.
The central part of Hanoi is really walkable, and there's a lot you're constantly taking in. Because of that, this trip was the first time I consciously dabbled in any kind of street photography. Most locals tended to shy away from having their photo taken though, so I tried not to intrude too much.
The only time we decided to give our feet a rest and catch a cab was visiting the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, which sits just west of the Old Quarter area. You could sense the weight of its importance, from its vast grounds and guards to the design of the structure itself.
Before visiting, my list of things I wanted to see and do in Hanoi was as long as maybe a few scribbles on a hotel notepad, but I left with the feeling that I needed more time. There are so many alleys or shops that continually make themselves known while you're there, and I feel the need to go back, venture around and witness life there a little more.
And finally, the food. I'm not knowledgeable about Vietnamese cuisine, but there were some things that I ate in Hanoi that I seriously couldn’t get enough of. Everything we ate and drank was tasty, super fresh and affordable. And in a city that continuously sparks curiosity? Can't ask for much more.
Here are some places I absolutely recommend trying if you visit:
Quán phở Gia Truyền
Pho-king delicious. This was the best bowl of pho that I've ever eaten. Period.
While there were some tourists, Pho Gia Truyen was packed with mostly locals - a good sign. It's a casual, open eatery with half of the guests eating outside on little purple plastic tables and chairs packed in every open space on the sidewalk.
They have a few different bowls to choose from, I went with their premium one which came out to less than $3 USD. Each bite was so savory, I really can't say enough about about it.
Bún Bò Nam Bộ
I had never heard of bun bo nam bo, and while I can't remember a lot of Vietnamese words, I won't forget this one.
This bowl of stir fried beef, vermicelli rice noodles, lettuce, bean sprouts, fried onions, chopped peanuts and more mixed in with some tangy yet citrusy sauce with a kick to it was simply amazing. It was a party of flavor in your mouth for a couple bucks US and absolutely amazing.
Chè 4 mùa
Che 4 Mua (Tea 4 Seasons in English) is a popular dessert spot. Seating is mostly on the sidewalk on little plastic chairs, but staff come by to talk and help you with your order.
It was a warm evening so we just went with cold drinks, watching the kitchen scoop fresh fruit into the glasses and create our dessert drinks from almost scratch. The drinks were served slightly chilled and flavors were completely natural and clean. Very refreshing.
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