Category: Southeast Asia

The next day we flew into Hanoi and hit the ground running for some sightseeing. At least this time the flight on Vietnam Airlines was much better (see previous posts for that debacle). The first stop was the Temple of Literature, a temple dedicated to Confucius (and his best disciples), and built in 1070. Inside it is the Imperial Academy, the country’s first university. You enter the Temple of Literature through the main gate, and walk through five courtyards. The Third Courtyard has the Thien Quang well and the red Khue Van pavilion. The turtle features prominently in the stele and artwork since it is one of Vietnam’s sacred animals that symbolizes wisdom. The Imperial Academy is in the Fifth Courtyard, and contains altars dedicated to Confucius and his students. The upper floor is dedicated to the kings that gave the most funds to the school. The Temple is beautiful and definitely worth exploring, especially if you are into history.

The next place we visited was Lake Hoan Kiem where Jade Island is. On the island is the Jade Mountain Temple, which is connected to the shore of by the red Huc (means morning sunlight) Bridge. The Huc Bridge is lit up in the evening, and looks beautiful against the lake and scenery. The temple was built in the 18^th c to honor a military figure, and you can see from the picture that the cherry blossoms were in bloom when we went. The complex also includes Pen Tower and a structure known as the Inkstand. Turtle Tower is in the middle of the lake, named after the turtles that still live in the water. The Hoan Kiem Lake area is popular destination in the city for locals as well, since children play games there, couples stroll, and others socialize. My sister and I walked along the lake taking it in, and came back later since it looked beautiful at night.

After a delicious lunch at Hanoi Food Culture restaurant, we took a Pedicab ride through the Old Quarter that dropped us off at our hotel. Later that day, we went to see a water Puppet show (I recommend getting the ticket at least a few hours in advance). The line was pretty long, and shows sell out fast. The water puppet show can be traced back to the 11^th century when villagers would entertain themselves during the flood season. The puppets are made from wood, and then painted and lacquered. The pool of water is the stage, the puppeteers are hidden by a screen, and a bamboo rod supports the puppets under water so it looks like they are floating. The show uses traditional Vietnamese folklore for the storytelling, using the sacred animals (unicorn, phoenix, turtle, and dragon). I think the show is a must see when in Hanoi since it is so unique to the city. I have not seen anything like it. On our Wayfaring Gals Facebook page we posted a clip so you can take a look. We ended the evening at our hotel’s rooftop restaurant, drinking wine, with a view of the Old Quarter.

The next day we were up early since we had a four hour ride to Halong Bay. We were so happy to get to the cruise ship after all the time spent in the van. The scenery was so beautiful due to the limestone karst formations and monolithic islands along the bay. There is a reason Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our boat had a cute deck upstairs with wicker chaises and chairs you could lounge in while taking it in. I read, wrote in my journal, and then fell asleep since it was so relaxing. The boat stopped at Ti Top Island where you can climb many steps (definitely worth the effort) for a beautiful panoramic view of the island. We relaxed by the beach after all that exercise, and then it was back to the ship. I just want to say that we did not go in the water due to the pollution. I heard horror stories of tourists becoming ill after swimming in Halong Bay. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

The next day we stopped to see Sung Sot or Surprising Cave on Bo Hon Island. Sung Sot is a complex of caves that gets bigger and better (hence the surprise) as you go through them. There is a phallic rock formation that is popular with tourists. Our guide grabbed my sister and me to take a picture by it. It was pretty funny being singled out that way. These caves are amazing and beautiful so it was a great stop.

The Flamingo Cruise had good and bad things about it. The food on the boat was good, but the alcohol prices were outrageous for Vietnam. I thought it was tacky to not provide water, coffee or tea. I recommend sneaking wine or whatever you prefer on board (make sure you drink it in your room). The accommodations were not good. Our toilet leaked black sewage. We were separated from our group which was a bummer. We sat next to a charming Italian couple and some Peruvians from Florida that were sweet. I wish we had sprung for five star boat accommodations. The rest of our group that did three star said their food wasn’t that good, so at least we were well fed.

After lunch we made our way back to the dock and were dropped off around 1pm, and then it was back to Hanoi. I hated that our break stop was in this store where they followed you around, and there were slim food options. I think the place gives the tour a kickback for stopping there. We decided to get junk food snacks and made the best out of it. Back in Hanoi, we had dinner, and then found a café with an upstairs that looked like a garden where we sipped iced tea and enjoyed the atmosphere. We had to leave bright and early for our flight to Kuala Lumpur the next morning, so we walked around the Old Quarter some more before heading back to the hotel.

The last few days of the tour were not well organized since there was no guide with us after Hanoi. The guide we had in Hanoi was also the worst since she would not let the group know when she was leaving, so we had to keep an eye on her, and look out for each other. She also gave no information on pick up times, and part of group didn’t get a chance to have breakfast due to the confusion. I still had fun, but the tour kind of fell apart after Hoi An, and the rest of the group agreed. Again, there are good and bad things about Hoi An Express Tours so you have to weigh out the options based on prices as well. I had a great time in Vietnam, and am glad I got to experience it since I regretted not going when I was in Southeast Asia in 2015. The food was so good, I love the souvenirs I got, and the sites visited beautiful! The people were not to friendly but I expected that being American. My next post will continue our Asian adventure with a day spent in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so stay tuned!

If you like my Facebook page, there are videos from the trip posted that you can check out as well. I also update the Instagram WayfaringGal page with new posts. Thank you for reading, and comments and feedback are always welcome since that is how we learn and grow.

Hoi An means “peaceful meeting place.” The town is full of lanterns of all colors and beautiful patterns, creating a magical atmosphere that you cannot forget. The historic district (a UNESCO World Heritage site) is preserved so there are no annoying motor bikes allowed…hooray! Hoi An is an example of a well preserved trading port of architecture from the 15^th to 19^th centuries. The Japanese Bridge is a popular example of this style in the Old Town. Tourists from all over the world flock to this town, and I can see why. Definitely a must see site if you are in Vietnam.

Our first stop in Hoi An was Ann Tailor (I’m serious). Our tour included a free tailored item, like a shirt or skirt, but I wanted a traditional Vietnamese outfit so they gave me a credit towards it. The people at the shop couldn’t believe a tourist wanted their traditional clothing. They were so excited. I chose a cobalt blue silk material for the pants and tunic. You can find great ideas on Pinterest. There were people on our tour that didn’t want anything made, which I thought was super weird. I wanted something I couldn’t get back home that was unique to Vietnam.

Afterwards we were dropped off at our hotel, but would be picked up in a couple hours, which was really awkward since the room was not ready. The Hotel was called Le Pavilion, and it was really nice with the friendliest staff I encountered in Vietnam. My sister and I decided to get a Balinese massage which was ok. I prefer really intense deep tissue massages so I am very picky. I think the town tour should have started right after the tailor shop in order to give us more time the rest of the day.

We were picked up again to do a walking tour in the town with our guide Eric since he lives in Hoi An. We started out at the Chinese or Fukian Assembly Hall, which was founded in 1692, and built by Chinese traders as a spiritual and social gathering place. The inside is dedicated to the goddess of the sea: Thien Hau, and there is a fertility shrine childless couples can visit. I loved the dragon sculptures, which you see in the picture above. Next stop was the Museum of Folklore to see some traditional costumes like the unicorn worn during festivals, and the mythical creature looks totally different in Southeast Asia. I also learned that a traditional Vietnamese bed has no mattress! And we got to see Chinese foot binding shoes…they looked like they were for a baby… The museum offers insight into the history of its town, and the life of its inhabitants.

We took a break at Mot’s Tea, and  had some great iced tea, which we were told is a secret family recipe. We also got to try the red bean cake. Southeast Asia makes dessert from healthy stuff, so no chocolate cake here. Last stop on the walking tour was the beautiful Japanese covered bridge. The bridge was constructed by the Japanese inhabitants in the 1590s to link them to the Chinese quarter across the stream. Inside the bridge is a temple dedicated to god of weather, Tran Van Bac De. The bridge looks beautiful at night all lit up as well, so make sure you take a look.

We had dinner at Streets Café, which gets children off the street and trains them in the hospitality industry. The food was delicious. Dessert was homemade coconut ice cream with pineapple. I love supporting organizations like this. My sister and I visited a similar place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, called Friends (which you must eat at if you go there). Restaurants like this are win/win since you get to eat delicious food and support organizations that help get children off the street.

We walked around Old Town and stayed for the Lantern festival, which is once a month during the full moon. All the lights were switched off, and motor traffic isn’t allowed. A full moon is one of the most sacred times in the Buddhist calendar. During the festival, paper lanterns are lit and set adrift in the river. It looks really pretty at night. We were probably asked a 100 times if we wanted to go for a boat ride, and buy paper lanterns. There is a lantern market you can purchase lanterns made from silk in beautiful patterns and colors. I couldn’t resist so I bought a couple, and hung them in my room when I returned. I have a little piece of Hoi An at home to remind of my visit there.

We took a break at Reaching Out Tea House which employs hearing impaired staff. You will love the silence and tranquility there; it’s got a great atmosphere. There is also a store from the same organization that sells beautiful fair trade items (like silver lantern earrings). I had the tiniest tea cup, and enjoyed a Red Lantern tea that was great. Definitely recommend this place when you need a break from the crowds and noise. After some more exploring we called it a night, and cabbed it back to the hotel. A glass of wine at our lovely hotel ended a perfect day.

The next day we took a motor bike ride for a foodie tour to try the local delicacies. I went to the home of the original white rose dumpling, named White Rose of course. They are shrimp dumplings made with translucent white dough that is bunched up to look like petals. According to local lore, the creator named them after his wife who loved dumplings, and the white roses that were displayed at her funeral. The staff showed us how to make the dumplings, but I couldn’t shape them as nice as the ladies.

Second stop was to Ong Hai, which translates to Second Son restaurant, where I was able to try Cau Lao the local specialty made with pork and noodles. I had the local ginger iced tea as well. I’m a fan of ginger, which is also great for the stomach. I like the spiciness of it. The last stop on the foodie tour was Ben Tre (Bamboo Garden), where we tried sweet corn soup and clap cake, which is eaten at weddings. I liked the fact these restaurants had locals eating there. The food was amazing, and I have to find a Vietnamese restaurant in Chicago!

After that it was back to Ann Tailor to try our Vietnamese outfits. The tailor insisted on getting photos of us, since he wanted a pic of “European” women wearing the traditional dress (the locals called us “European”). I believe the photos are now displayed there for posterity. Everyone in the office stopped what they were doing, and said they loved the blue color and the fit of the dress. My sister got hers in pink. I think it was a good buy that was a fun experience. The outfit was made in a day…incredible! I wish I had gotten another tunic made.

After that it was back to the hotel for some pool time! There was a bar attached to the pool so I could have my Pina Colada while sitting in the cool water. It was nice to take a break and journal by the pool. I could have stayed there all day.

However, wanted to explore Old Town some more. We had dinner at Madame Kiev’s, a restaurant near the river. I had a chicken and lemongrass dish that was really good, spicy and flavorful.  I found Nguyen Thai Hoc Street where the lanterns were different colors, making it my favorite spot. We got a local beer and chilled, just people watching. On the same street, I was also able to find some great souvenirs there made with intricate paper designs. It was another great day in Hoi An, but we were both sad since we were leaving for Hanoi early the next day. This was my favorite part of the Vietnam trip, and writing this post makes me smile in remembrance. Now I understand why everyone that has visited Hoi An loves this town.

If you like my Facebook page, there are videos from the trip posted that you can check out as well. I also update the Instagram WayfaringGal page with new posts. Thank you for reading, and comments and feedback are always welcome since that is how we learn and grow.

The next day started out with a trip to My (pronounced like “me”) Son, a complex of ancient ruins that were dedicated to the worship of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction (remember, destruction is a form of creation). The site was a place of religious ceremony, and a burial site for kings and important figures in the Champa culture. The site was also significant since the monks selected kings there. The temples were constructed between the 4^th and 14^th centuries AD by the kings of Champa. The temples are near Da Nang in Central Vietnam. Unfortunately, due to bombing from the Vietnam War, much of the complex has been destroyed, and only about 10 structures remain. Sadly, you will see headless statutes, and the heads are sitting in French museums since that was the colonial power for about a century in Vietnam. The government of Vietnam has even asked for the cultural works to be returned, but the French museums have declined, saying it does not belong to the Vietnamese people anymore.

We got to the site pretty early in the morning, but there were still tons of people there since it is a popular tourist destination, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeastern Asia, like Angkor Wat in Cambodia. We got to watch some Apsara dancing at the beginning of the complex. Apsaras, which are female cloud and water spirits in Hindu culture, are depicted in Hindu/Champa art. I got to see Aspara dancing in Cambodia, in which the costumes are modeled after the Angkor Wat bas reliefs.

At the complex itself, you can go into the buildings like the storehouse. You will see statues of Shiva all over with Naga, a snake he wears as an ornament. Some say the snake signifies that Shiva controls fear and death. It was a nice to have our guide Eric show us around, and explain significance of the structures we were looking at. Eric also pointed out that male/female balance was also important in the design of the site. Eric related that are still Cham people living in Vietnam. He was the nicest of the guides we had on the tour.

After My Son, we decided to visit the Marble Mountains in Da Nang, a group of five mountains that are named after the five elements: metal, water, air, fire, and Earth. The mountains contain Buddhist sanctuaries and temples. We went up Thuy (water) mountain which is the only one that visitors are allowed at. There are pagodas (Tam Thai and Tu Tam), the tower of Pho Dong, grottoes (Huyen Khong), and sacred caves (Tang Chon) that you can visit. The statues are carved out of marble, and the area is famous for its stonework.

We took the elevator up, and then the stairs down. It is about 156 steps which isn’t bad. The carved dragon statues are beautiful, and they are all over. The area features a large statue of Lady Buddha nearby, but I found a smaller one of her at the Marble Mountains. It was just so hot that day that we couldn’t stay that long since we were walking and climbing steps. I am glad we visited and spent some time exploring. The panoramic view from the top is worth the hike. A pool break was needed to cool off afterwards…

After a shower and food (had the local beer Larue), we got a driver to take us up the Hai Van Pass that borders Da Nang and Hue. The pass is historically significant barrier between the North and South of the country, and made it hard to move land armies in the country. It was lovely going up, but it was so misty at the top that we could not see anything. Our Grab driver was nice, and stopped at some scenic overlooks for us to get some nice views on camera. Hai Van Pass was voted one of the most beautiful coast roads in the world for a reason. If I had more time I would have visited Hue, which contains an ancient historical site, but could not fit it in.

Later, we walked along the harbor where there was sculptures on display. Along the harbor there was many cafes so we decided to take an iced tea break at Royal Tea; I believe it is a chain in Vietnam. I had a delicious pineapple, mango black tea, and spent some time journaling. The iced tea in Vietnam is so good!

Da Nang is also famous for the Dragon Bridge along the River Han that lights up and changes colors at night. The bridge opened to traffic in 2013, celebrating the liberation of the city, but was ironically designed and built by an American engineering company. The bridge breathes water and fire on Saturday and Sunday night (unfortunately wasn’t there on the weekend, but you can watch it on YouTube). Our hotel was near the bridge, so we got great views. The Dragon Bridge is a must see when in Da Nang. We got to see it at night lit up during the evening as well.

The next day we got up and went to a nearby coffee shop, and tried egg coffee, which is super popular in Asia. The top tastes like meringue, which I found to be too sweet. The bottom is pretty strong. What I loved about Vietnam was that instead of free water, the cafes provided iced Oolong tea, which was so good! Iced tea should be free! Afterwards, we were picked up by our tour and went on to Hoi An, the most magical city in Vietnam!

If you like my Facebook page, there are videos from the trip posted that you can check out as well. I also update the Instagram WayfaringGal page with new posts. Thank you for reading, and comments and feedback are always welcome since that is how we learn and grow. Stay tuned because the next post is about Hoi An, my favorite city in Vietnam!

I decided to take a trip to Vietnam since my sister ended up getting a cheap ticket to Southeast Asia so she asked me to meet her. We decided to go at the beginning of January, and left at the end of February, so we did not have much time to plan. I have to thank my sister for doing the planning since I was busy with a certification test and work. She found a tour group from Vietnam called Hoi An Express that was affordable. It gave you the choice of three, four, or five star hotels. I am so glad we upgraded to four since the people on the tour did third class, and said it was bad (I would not do three star hotels in SE Asia). I would recommend doing five star since the last couple of accommodations on the tour were not good. I have mixed feelings about the tour for several reasons. It basically got you around the country and to your accommodations. There was one activity a day that the tour took you to, so there was plenty of time on your own to explore. However, the guides changed at every location, and they were not good. There was a lack of communication as well. Some people in our group didn’t know they were getting picked up at a certain time, and couldn’t even get ready. So if you like escorted tours this isn’t for you. If you like a hands off tour you might like this, but I believe everyone likes nice guides and communication. So I can’t recommend the tour group, but I still had a great time in Vietnam with my sister. The dates of this tour also worked perfectly, and it was a lot more affordable than the “better” or more well-known tour groups. I liked the tour from the beginning to Hoi An, and then it went downhill in Northern Vietnam. I also liked that we flew to destinations instead of taking overnight trains which I heard were sketchy. So again there were pros and cons, and I did enjoy myself, but wouldn’t recommend the tour group unless guides and communication improved, as well as the bus you were on when traveling to activities (one word: uncomfortable).

I flew to Ho Chi Minh City where the tour began the next day. The tour sent us a visa letter, and a person to help us with it at the airport. After receiving the visa, I waited another 45 min in line to get through customs. My suitcase was sitting there waiting for me, thankfully, by the luggage belt. My sister was there waiting since her flight came earlier. One of the people from the tour group gave us the tour paperwork, and put us on a shuttle to our hotel. The hotel was nice but we had the afternoon ahead of us so we decided to go to District One and explore. I found it challenging to walk around, and crossing the street just sucked. The rules of the road are not obeyed, and motorbikes even go on the sidewalk. We had to cross the street with locals. District One is where most tourists visit since that is where most of the best cafes and bars are so that is where we headed.

Our first stop was at the Ben Thanh market to get some delicious food. I had a chicken noodle dish, fresh coconut water and this awesome potato roll. We left the market since we were not in the mood to shop after no sleep. Again, walking around was annoying so my sister got us a Grab ride (a cheaper version of Uber in Asia). We got dropped off by the Reunification Palace, which you can visit. There is even a tank on the grounds that crashed through the gates of the palace by a North Vietnamese tank. The palace was the headquarters of the Southern Vietnamese army.

 After checking out the palace, we walked along the boulevard and ending up finding the Vietnamese version of Norte Dame, which was constructed by French colonists during 1863 to 1880. The main religion is Buddhism so the colonists needed a church to attend. Another neat building nearby is the Saigon Central Post Office also constructed during French occupation. The post office sells cool stuff like perfume in neat bottles, and you can still mail your post cards if you like doing that. Tourists love visiting it, and it worth taking a look at. I loved how the city was decorated for Chinese New Year with flowers that light up along the streets. We walked around some more, and decided to call it a day since we were exhausted by our day of travel and no sleep.

The next day the tour officially began. We were picked up early in the morning and headed to pick up the other people since we were staying at different hotels since we upgraded. The people on the tour were thankfully in their 40s and really chill. No college kids and 20 somethings to deal with. The van was not comfortable with headrests or a cup holder, but at least we had air conditioning. Curtains would have been nice to shield from the sun since South Vietnam is hot. We had a long ride to go outside the city to visit the Cai Bai Floating markets and village. This was such an awesome excursion. When we stopped for bathroom break, I got an iced coffee which was so delicious. You have to drink the coffee in Vietnam; it is so good. I love that they make it iced as well since most countries do not drink coffee that way.

Seeing the village was fun. The people make coconut candy that we got to try, and snake wine (yes, there are snakes in it and yes I did try it). The people in the village make everything from rice including popcorn and candy. We got to try the local sweets with some jasmine tea. I also got to hold an anaconda which was probably one of the scariest things I have done (I did pet a tiger in Thailand). I trusted the guy who had the snake that it didn’t bite. That sucker was heavy! I couldn’t hold him for too long, but thankfully he was a nice snake, and did not try to eat me. The store where the locals sold souvenirs was probably one of the best on the trip, and I wish I bought more stuff since it was original stuff that was made there. I managed to snag some snake wine, coconut candy, original sketches, and really cute magnets. The prices were really reasonable.

After the village excursion, we got back on the boat and went to an islet nearby where I got to try some local fruit like rose and milk apples, guava, and mango. I really liked the milk apples…I have never had one before. We had a great lunch of local fish that was used to make spring rolls, then chicken, pork, rice, and soup. We went for a soothing boat ride in one of the local canoes. I noticed the women cover every inch of skin possible, and that is because they do not want to get any color on their skin. People are obsessed with light skin tone since darker skin connotes farm work which is looked down upon. Men also cover up for the same reason. I also learned people in Vietnam are only allowed to have two children since the population is pretty large (94 million). After returning to main boat we were treated to more fresh coconut water and made our way back to the city.

We decided to check out The View rooftop bar in order to watch the sunset. The prices were crazy high for Vietnam, pretty much what I’d pay in Chicago for a glass of wine, but the décor was great with lanterns and heart shaped lights. Stick with local beer there since it is much cheaper and pretty light so it goes well with hot weather.

After that we headed to the area near city hall to the Cafe Apartments, a complex of coffee and tea shops, as well as restaurants and boutiques. Take the elevator up and then stairs down in order to explore floor by floor. We found an English style tea shop that was super cute. We stopped for a slice of Matcha cake, which was really good. It was decorated with different tea pots, and fun colors. My sister and I loved the place.

Afterwards, we walked outside to the statue of Ho Chi Minh that the city was renamed after. He was the revolutionary leader that led the independence movement from the French and founded the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. His statue overlooks city hall. It’s nice because no motorbikes are allowed in that plaza so you can walk in peace.

The next day was another early day since we visited the Cu Chi Tunnels are in the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City. The tunnels are the Vietnamese Vietnam Memorial. The tunnels were the Viet Cong’s base of operations for the Tet Offensive. The Viet Cong were able to hide in the tunnels, and use them as supply routes, hospitals, weapons caches and living quarters. Life in the tunnels was rough since most of the soldiers were sick with malaria and parasites. It was also humid. The passages are small and tight, and I can’t imagine going into the network since you have to crawl. The tunnels for tourists were widened and made taller so the ones we went through weren’t the real deal, but I don’t think I could manage the actual tunnels.

On display are the traps the Viet Cong used on the American soldiers. You can fire an AK-47, which I declined since I hate guns. You have to get your picture in the tunnel that is camouflaged with leaves. There is an old tank on display that I got to climb. At the end of your visit, you watch a documentary made by the Viet Cong, and it is eerie since it keeps repeating “kill Americans.” It shows young girls in village as soldiers killing American soldiers. It is definitely uncomfortable to watch. It is a sad place since all these lives were lost in this war on both sides. I think going to visit the tunnels is a great learning experience, seeing the war from the Vietnamese point of view. I highly recommend a visit.

After the tunnels we were off to the airport for our flight to Da Nang, which was experience in itself since we went with a Vietnamese airline (imagine survival of the fittest for overhead space). The flight was delayed, and we got into Da Nang late so we just chilled at our hotel’s rooftop bar in order to recharge for our next day’s adventures. To be continued…

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