Trip Report - Vietnam
Our Trip & Itinerary
We split our time in Vietnam into two halves, making it almost feel like two separate destinations. Our first trip was to the South, Ho Chi Minh and Can Tho, while our second stint was spent in the North, mainly Hanoi and Sapa. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh [formerly Saigon] from South Korea and spent several days getting re-oriented to South East Asian culture and road chaos, then took a two night trip to Can Tho to experience the floating markets on the Mekong Delta. From there we went off to Cambodia, followed by a loop back to Vietnam with a flight to Hanoi. While we had four nights in Hanoi, it would’ve been easy to spend far more time – there are just so many unique parts of town to check out! From Hanoi we opted to take a 3 day / 2 night Ha Long Bay cruise with Elite of the Seas to absorb the World Heritage site’s breathtaking limestone islands. Upon our return from our cruise we took the overnight train up to Sa Pa and spent two nights sleeping above the endless rice paddies and rolling valleys of the Northern Vietnamese mountains. We returned to Hanoi via another overnight train to spend a few more hours enjoying the best of what Vietnam has to offer before flying off to Laos!
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnam in May is hot. Not just it’s-shorts-weather hot, but like I-just-showered-but-need-three-more hot! Laundry days are every other day in Vietnam, not a weekly occurrence! For this reason, most people visit Vietnam, and much of South East Asia, during the ‘cooler’ winter months of December to March. Yet for us, with previous commitments to other destinations during those months, May and June turned out to be the only time we could explore this corner of the world. With that in mind, we chose to start our nine week tour of South East Asia in Ho Chi Minh, the bustling southern Vietnamese city formerly known as Saigon.
Saigon has a lot to offer, and it’s best to try and squeeze in as much as you can early in the morning and after the sun goes down to beat the heat. We stayed near the Ben Thanh Market at the terrific Silverland Ben Thanh hotel, right in the heart of downtown Ho Chi Minh. The hotel is beautifully and uniquely designed – the walls are earthy and cavernous. The bright upper restaurant serves as an incredible vantage point for sprawling views of the city during breakfast and (my favorite) afternoon tea buffet. From our central location we had easy access to the War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh’s historic Post Office, and D. Bùi Viện walking street, the heart of nightlife in Ho Chi Minh. We started our first morning by popping by Bagel Brothers - District 1, selling the first bagels that reminded us of genuine New York bagels in months. With a belly full of delicious carbs, we made our way up to the War Remnants museum. After only about 30 minutes of exploring the exhibits, I started to feel very hot and lightheaded, a clear sign that my body wasn’t ready for this change of climate. We decided to scrap the visit (entry only costs $2) and instead went back to our hotel to rest and cool down. This was a good reminder that heat fatigue and exhaustion are very real during the hot summer months here, so stocking up on big water bottles is never a bad idea! Plus, the big bottles at 7 Eleven come with a carry loop here, making it easy to take around.
Feeling revived after our little lie-down, we ventured back out, making the long 250 meter trek to the Ben Thanh market, Ho Chi Minh’s top tourist market. Here you can find everything from very good faux designer clothes, to high-end watches, and luxury perfumes all at rock-bottom prices – just don’t ask too many questions and check your home country’s declaration guidelines! We did get pulled into a few stalls, tempted by shiny fake Patek Phillipes and near-perfect Gucci bags, but left with most of our cash still in our wallets given the luggage limitations. With the morning’s strain from the heat and another round of being roasted at the market, we stopped into one of Vietnam’s many massage parlors for an excruciating (in a good way) head, neck, and back massage. We rounded out our first full day back in Vietnam by enjoying a few drinks at the Saigon Saigon rooftop bar at the historic Caravelle Hotel. During the Vietnam conflict, many foreign journalists would gather here each evening, watching above the rooftops and drinks in hand, as the North Vietnamese army approached Ho Chi Minh. While the hotel and bar have both been renovated since the war, you can easily put yourself in a journalist's shoes and what it must have been like to watch bombs exploding and gun battles raging just on the horizon.
Aiming to not have a repeated heat incident, we took things a bit more slowly over our next couple of days in Ho Chi Minh. Even though there were a number of interesting neighborhoods to walk through and endless food options to try, we also wanted to spend some time slowing down. From our hotel’s rooftop pool we could look over all of central Ho Chi Minh, and at the complimentary afternoon tea we could watch the chaotic perfection of waves of scooters, motorbikes, and cars battle for road space in the intersection below. While not necessarily “our scene” anymore, walking down the party street, Bui Vien, added an extra dose of chaos we were willing to observe. The bars and clubs there aim to invite walkers-by with flashing neon lights and go-go dancers in skimpy outfits. While this was quite the scene, we opted for the quieter option of having cocktails on a rooftop bar that overlooked the bustling street. After 2 and a half days in Ho Chi Minh, we hopped on a series of buses and vans to get down to our next destination, the home of the floating markets on the Mekong.
Can Tho
Most people just take a long day-trip from Ho Chi Minh to visit the Mekong River’s famous floating markets, but we wanted a chance to more deeply appreciate the culture that built them. To do this we decided to spend two nights in Can Tho. To get there, we took our first South East Asian lie-flat bus for three hours from Ho Chi Minh, a new experience for me, and one definitely took some getting used to! While the individual pods offer some privacy with curtains, the space is fairly small and only accommodates a shorter individual without additional luggage, like a daypack. Upon our arrival in the Mekong Delta we were deposited in front of our cute home-stay and greeted by the friendliest front desk attendant. He gave us some great tips on how to see the floating rivers veeery early in the morning, where to get the best massages in town, and some of his favorite places to go for a meal. We were charmed by his great English and willingness to chat about his life in Can Tho.
After a little lie-down, we still had plenty of time on our first day in Can Tho, so we ventured out of our hotel and made it a whole three blocks before each of us was drenched in sweat. Even popping into a coffee shop and a grocery store did not provide the typical air-conditioned relief we were hoping for. So, after very little time exploring, we decided to call it and head back to the safety of our air-conditioned room until nightfall. When we next left our hotel we found the city had transformed – huge neon lights now lit the roadways and throngs of people had come out of the woodwork to eat, drink, and dance the evening away. Soaking it all in we wandered off to find dinner, only to find ourselves constantly pulled into the nightlife of the city by the kindness of so many Vietnamese strangers.
To make the most of a visit to the Cai Rang floating market you need to wake up very early, around 4 am and wander down to Ninh Kieu Wharf. This is where you’ll be assailed by many boat captains who are eager to get you on their small boat and whisk you up the river to the market. We purchased a little slip of paper as our ticket and were told to explore the local food market up the road first. Wandering along the same road as the wharf, the darkness opened up to a truly insane scene. People were fighting their way through the crowds, on foot or on scooters, shouting as they went. Along either side of us, vendors had set up piles of vegetables that were stacked as high as my hips and squirming live fish in large buckets. The sights, the smells, the bright lights – all of this did a better job than our alarm and snapped us back to reality, readying us for the boatride. Much to our surprise, we joined a boat that was mainly occupied by Vietnamese travelers who were out to explore the unseen corners of their own country, which according to our captain, has been a trend over the last few years. As soon as our boat was in sight of the sign marking the beginning of the market, locals began hooking their boats alongside ours, trying to sell us everything from sweet potatoes to hot coffee. We made a stop at the wholesale market in the center of it all where we could buy anything from coconut candies to dried fish prepared by locals. Once back on the boat, our captain skilfully wove our boat through dozens of these smaller vessels until he docked us alongside another boat similar in size to ours selling breakfast. The owners balanced themselves with each wave, as they poured hot broth into bowls filled to the brim with greens, noodles, and meat. Simultaneously, someone else was pouring strong Vietnamese coffee into plastic cups, which were passed through a line of boats attached to ours. The youngest helper on the boat clambered over the bows with piping hot Pho to eagerly awaiting customers. Around 7am, the market started to shrink as many locals stopped selling their wares and retreated from the building heat. We started our journey back to the Ben Ninh Kieu pier, taking in the final pastels of the sunrise and watching the market madness fade.
Although Can Tho is mainly known for its market, we found it had a lot more to offer during our last afternoon exploring southern Vietnam. The city is home to several unique Vietnamese-Khmer fusion Buddhist temples. Our favorite of these was the Chua Vien Quang temple, a five story building that you can climb all the way to the top for a fantastic 360 degree view of Can Tho. We also had the best lower body massage of our lives at Truong Xuan Cung. For only $6.50 each we experienced an hour of pure bliss ranging from a traditional oil massage to cupping and hot towel head massaging. Not to mention, but the whole experience oozed luxury, as we were offered a welcome drink, given massage pajamas, and looked after like royalty throughout. We really recommend avoiding a simple day trip to Can Tho, as there’s so much more to explore! Take an overnight trip to Can Tho instead – we promise it’ll be worth your while.
Hanoi
We returned to Vietnam after our adventures in Cambodia on a slightly terrifying flight through thunderstorms into Hanoi. Hanoi is one of Jackson’s favorite cities, primarily because of the Old Quarter, which is a fascinating blend of French colonial architecture and modern Vietnamese chaos. Our hotel for our time in Hanoi was the Peridot Gallery Classic Boutique, and while the hotel on the whole was really nice, the beds were addictively good. Even though our flight had arrived late in the evening we had planned to go out for dinner when we arrived at the hotel, but once we fell into our new bed we just couldn’t seem to drag ourselves out of it.
The old quarter in Hanoi is, in my opinion, one of the easiest places in the world to get lost in. There are just so many side streets and alleyways that invite you to explore what lies around the next corner. At the southern end of the old quarter you’ll find Ho Hoan Kiem lake, a hub of local activity in the early hours of the morning and after the sun goes down in the evening. Within the lake you’ll also find the Den Ngoc Son temple, a small Confucian temple surrounded by monuments dedicated to the national heroes of Vietnam. It’s also not far from here that you'll see the Hoa Lo Prison, more commonly known to westerners as the “Hanoi Hilton.” Today the prison has been turned into a museum, and perhaps unsurprisingly does not give any attention on the mistreatment of American POWs, but instead focuses on the gross mistreatment of the Vietnamese by their French colonizers. Only towards the back of the museum do you find a display about American POWs at the prison, though only highlighting the improved conditions post 1969, after the death of Ho Chi Minh.
A stone’s throw from the Hanoi Hilton is Train Street, famous for how close trains run to its many coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. Since 2019, the street has technically been closed to tourists, but you can still go in if you either simply ignore the whistle of the non-official entrance guard, or are escorted in by an owner of any of the establishments. We went in twice, once by just following a tour group in and again the next day by just walking past the “guard”, telling people to stay away from a smaller entrance. Keep in mind that this is a safety precaution, given the proximity of trains to tourists, but stay smart and pay attention to the alarms and you’ll be fine!
A hidden gem we couldn’t get enough of was Omamori Massage, a quaint massage spot tucked away onto multiple-floors of an old apartment building. The business solely hires visually-impaired people and trains them to perform a unique kind of massage, as well as aims to provide them with the empowerment and confidence to fully participate in society. Different from a typical massage, you can feel the masseuse seeking out knots in your body as they gently get acquainted with your body. They then knead primarily using their fingertips, as they know exactly which area to focus on. It’s an incredible experience and supports a great cause, so make sure to pop by for a delightful massage!
Ha Long Bay / Lan Ha Bay
One ‘must do’ activity for most visitors to Hanoi is spending time out among the limestone karst islands just off the coast of Ha Long. While some tourists opt for a day cruise lasting a few hours, most will choose to spend one or two nights on either a Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay cruise. Since we wanted to spend as much time as possible inside the World Heritage site, we opted for a three day / two night cruise. Choosing which ship to go on can be an overwhelming decision, as there are literally hundreds of tour operators selling similar itineraries inside the bay. The good thing about all of these options is that there is almost guaranteed space available, even day-of, at your desired price point and chosen time of departure.
We made an impulse decision two days before our departure to splurge on an ultra-luxury six star cruise, using some travel credits we had banked up from other activities we’d previously canceled. The ship we decided to spend our time on was the Elite of the Seas operated by AClass Cruises Group, who also sail the Stellar of the Seas and Jade Sails boats on separate itineraries. To get to Ha Long Bay, we were picked up around 9 am by AClass’s luxury transfer service, a converted van with 7 plush captain’s chairs, yet fairly little room for luggage. Pro Tip: If you’re taking a multi-day cruise try to pack what you need in a small bag or duffel and leave your larger luggage at your hotel in Hanoi, it’ll make your entire journey smoother. After a three hour drive from Hanoi to the coast, we took a speedboat transfer out to our ship, where we immediately got a sense of the luxurious atmosphere onboard. We were greeted with a shower of rose petals from staff on the decks above us and a very vibey saxophone player. The first order of business onboard was a seven course lunch, featuring some of the best lobster Jackson had ever had, which was so good I even stole a couple of bites! After stuffing ourselves with delicious culinary treats, we checked into our suite to really start our three luxurious days in the bay.
Our next few days were filled with many activities including kayaking around some of the limestone islands and lots and lots of relaxing in the infinity pool at the back of our ship. We also opted to join the day trip that explored the Viet Hai cultural village on Cat Ba island. The trip is fairly tourist driven, but the bike ride through the valley of limestone mountains and into the picturesque village is worth the trip. While we loved having quiet moments to rest and recharge at sea, the staff on board ensured we were always happy and taken care of.
Sa Pa
We chose to go to Sa Pa based on a recommendation from a friend of ours and thank goodness we did! My grandmother had just passed, only a few weeks after my other one had, and I was in dire need of some isolated down-time. We stayed at the Laxisk Ecolodge, a tranquil spot that overlooks the rice paddies and the valley below. The hotel has everything – a spa, spacious rooms, a restaurant, an infinity pool, and a trekking service for anyone who wants to hike to nearby villages. My favorite part of the room was actually the balcony, which lay just over the last rows of rice paddies, so we were able to watch the farmers meticulously plant new rice for the season. One consideration with the Ecolodge is that the hotel is fairly far from the center of town, meaning we frequently needed to take a Grab into Sa Pa. While the way into town was a bit of a trek, we went to the best cafes (here’s looking at you Mist Sapa) and took the chance to wander the hilly streets. One of the most unique things about Sa Pa and the surrounding region is the presence of the H’mong people, who have a vibrant culture that originated in Mongolia. Now, they reside in Northern Vietnam, Laos, China, and even small areas of Thailand. Their traditional clothes are bright and embroidered with neon threads, their headwear layered with stunning beads. One spot to immerse yourself in this unique tribe is Cat Cat village. Unfortunately, the villagers primarily thrive off of tourism, so you may find some of your visit to be staged, but it is the best way to spot the traditional dress and try the tribe’s cuisine.
Recommendations
Where We Stayed:
Some of Our Other Favorite Restaurants:
Ho Chi Minh
Can Tho
Hanoi
Sapa