Northern Vietnam
Well known for its culture and nature wonders. Northern Vietnam has one of the oldest capital in the form of Hanoi, the seascape of limestone towers, Halong bay, the diverse cultural kaleidoscope of Sapa and its surrounding villages, to name a few.
​
With the origin of Vietnamese culture and history coming mostly from this region, it is definitely a region not to be missed by the culture and adventure buffs.
​
Vietnam currently is in a state of rapid evolution, with the Vietnamese war ending only 40 years ago and the country opening up as recently as 1990s. Roads are constantly being upgraded, hotels are springing up all over the country and the numbers of tourists visiting are just increasing year by year.
​
There is no better time to visit this amazing region than now! What are you waiting for!
The best of Northern Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The resting place of Ho Chi Minh, iconic leader of Vietnam. His body still preserved in a glass case inside the mausoleum, are sent yearly to Russia for maintenance. This is when the mausoleum is closed, with such periods usually between September and October.
​
The mausoleum is close to Hoan Kiem Lake and reachable by foot. Visitors looking to pay their respect to the late leader are expected to be dress appropriately.
Do also be expected to queue for hours with the many others who are there for the same intent.
A very unique experience that is summed perfectly by this article. Link
Check this out!
A beautifully written article on Hanoi and its scooters.: Hanoi: motor scooter city
Hanoi and its millions of scooters
One of the most memorable experience in Hanoi: crossing the streets during the rush hour while avoiding the millions of scooters.
An unforgettable experience which is both amazing and intimidating at the same time.
The scooters lined up like an army of ants waiting to be unleashed while waiting for the lights. Once the lights turn green, waves of scooters came rushing forward, weaving in and out among themselves, seemingly fighting to devour any pedestrian in sight. The amazing part though is that amidst all this chaos, there seems to be an unseen force, an unspoken rule that keeps the traffic accident-free, guiding each scooters on their own way.
​
And when you finally plucked that courage to cross the road, it suddenly feels like the red sea parting for you. The scooters will pass you with just enough space such that they won't hit you but yet near enough for you to touch them if you wanted.
​
When you turn around to look back at the street after finally reaching the other end, you will still be unable to believe all that had just happened with the scooters continue zipping across in front of your eyes.
Do you know:?!​?
There are over 5 million scooters and mopes in Hanoi itself?
That is almost the size of the population of Denmark!
​
Hanoi street food
Tiny red or blue stools - checked
Cosy corners - checked
Delicious looking food - checked
​
Those are the typical signs to identify with Vietnam street food. Having street food in Vietnam itself is an adventure on its own too!
​
With the menu normally only in Vietnamese and the staff rarely speaking any English, it takes plenty of courage to sit down and order something. However, that courage taken will definitely be rewarded. (mostly..as far as i remember..).
​
Isn't it exciting? To order something not knowing what it is or how it will turn out. And meals can't get as authentic and local as it gets. Try it. I promise it will be quite an experience.
Do you know:?!
Barack Obama actually dropped in at a streetside restaurant in Hanoi for dinner in 2016. link here
​
And here is an article of the aftermath of the visit. worth a read!
Tips!
Just because the stall is crowded doesn't mean you won't get ripped off. No matter how exciting it is, to prevent your meal from ending on a sour note, go to a stall with a menu that has price on it.
If the menu doesn't have a price, go to the next one. There are bound to be many other stalls down the street.
Do you know?!
The different operators are not different trains but are actually just separate carriages latched onto the same public train.
​
Train ride to Sapa
To get to Sapa, taking the train is the most frequently taken option.
​
The 9 hrs night ride is an adventure on its own. Depending on how much is paid, you can even get to enjoy air conditioner and "clean" toilets. Some of the cabins are even decorated with different themes. Talk about setting the mood for an adventure.
​
The tourist carriages are latched at the end of the train. For the curious ones, as you walk towards the front of the train, you will come to the "sitting" carriages. The "sitting" carriages are split into "hard seat" and "soft seat". The hard seats are the cheapest as they are basically just wooden benches then the soft seat which are reclining padded chairs.
​
I personally don't recommend roughing it out for 9 hrs just to save a few dollars though. A trip isn't supposed to be torturous, no matter how adventurous!
Check this out!
Wikitravel has quite a good write up on travelling to Sapa from Hanoi. : train to Sapa
Inside the Cabin
Simple Flower decoration to brighten your day.
Complementary water and biscuits
and some even comes with fruits!
4 bed cabins are common. 2 bed cabins with better amenities and "clean" toilets are also available with an extra premium!
power points for the power starved new age travelers
There are both soft sleeper beds and hard sleeper beds. Even with the mini "quakes" from the train tracks, it is possible to get a few hours of sleep
Vietnam, Sapa
The train ride from Hanoi doesn't actually end at Sapa as there is no train station in Sapa, but ends at Lao Cai which is about a 50 mins ride away.
​
Sapa is the capital of Sapa district lying 350km north-west from Hanoi, at an altitude of 1600m. It is a cool mountain town and home to many ethnic minority groups, with the 4 main ones being the Hmong, Red Dao, Tay and Giay.
​
Sapa town itself overlooks a valley with mountains towering on all sides. In the morning and late evening, thick mists start rolling in, creating a mysterious atmosphere. With tourism booming in northern Vietnam, Sapa’s reputation as a trekking spot grew and with it comes the effects of urbanization and globalization.
​
While it is no longer the quiet French hill station it was used to be, Sapa is still the main base where hikers set off to explore the amazing countryside of cascading rice terraces and hill-tribe villages. And this is where we get to see the real beauty of Sapa.
Do you know:?!​?!
The ethnic minorities all have their own unique costumes and distinctive designs. Try and see if you can differentiate them!
​
Hiking in Sapa
As Sapa's popularity as a hiking destination spreads, the expectation of wilderness and unexplored landscapes will have to be adjusted, unless you are one who doesn't mind taking the long, tiring and less taken paths.
​
During the hike, we decided on a tougher route, going up higher and hiking on longer. That however, was very rewarding as we were able to escape the crowded popular hiking routes while enjoying the beautiful panoramas from an even higher ground. It was a decision i certainly didn't regret, even when most of the landscapes were covered with mists.
​
The guide however was a bit unwillingly though. Sorry but too bad for her! haha.
Tips!
Hiking in Sapa always have this problem with mist and fogs. They cover up the landscape and their beauty along with it. There are always hits and misses. Going during the harvest season will be the best but you will have to deal with the massive groups of tourists.
​
The best is to go without expectations and be impressed by whatever presents itself.
Cat Ba Island
Most of the tourists travelling to Northern Vietnam would have wanted to visit Ha Long Bay for its limestone seascape. But that would means overcrowding tourists and lines of cruises going up and down the bay.
​
As a group who are not keen on the downsides, we decided to visit Lan Ha Bay instead and to do that, we used Cat Ba island as the gateway.
​
The largest island in the region, Cat Ba island lies in Lan Ha Bay which is very similar to Ha Long bay. About half of the island has been declared a national park which is home to the endangered Cat Ba Langur. With a wide variety of natural ecosystems, it is a place for the nature lovers.
​
That said, Cat Ba town has developed rapidly the past few years and is fast becoming a hub for those looking to explore the island and the greater region.
Do you know:?!
There are only an estimated 70 Cat Ba Langurs left in the world
​
We came across a few floating fishing villages while kayaking around Lan Ha bay. If you get too close to the villages, you will be greeted by barking dogs. Kind of intimidating, but we believe they will prefer to keep their fur dry.
Stay in your kayak, and all will be fine.
Lan Ha Bay
Just as beautiful as Ha Long bay but with less tourist cruises and the addition of secluded white beaches, i don't see why we will choose Ha Long bay over it.
Shipwrecks were seen quite a few times around the area.
And those cages below the water, i am guessing they are probably used to catch the crabs?
Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay
Exploring Lan Ha bay is best done through kayaking. It is tiring, the sun is scorching but the experience is definitely rewarding