Vietnam: part II

Helena Nijs
Jun 3
6 min read

Hello dear people

More than two months and three countries later. It went so fast. Not for a second did I regret that adventure, even though there were bad moments! What a crazy experience! Traveling alone is the max. Even with all its setbacks. No pain, no gain! Enriching and grateful I am!

After Mai Chau, I felt euphoric again. And I had thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, peace, lovely people and beautiful nature. I stayed two nights in Ninh Binh. The weather was not great, but dry. That ride there was worth it again. The bus would pick me up at the hotel around 9 am. At 9:40 am still no bus. The man (from the bus company) said: 'You can get in, I'll drop you off seven kilometres further at the bus stop. Seven kilometres later no bus.' He would drop me off at the first stop. An hour later we were still driving. Then he went to look for a taxi because the bus had forgotten me. So I got a personal ride for the same price. It was a lucky break!

As soon as I had made my room my own in the homestay, I took off to explore Ninh Binh. Here I got to know the real rural life. Curious, I walked on the narrow roads, straight through the rice fields along gigantic limestone rock formations. Wonderful. The province of Ninh Binh is also called the Halong Bay of the interior. Tam Coc, the small village where I ended up, exudes a nice atmosphere with its typical restaurants, sights, shops, street food and much more. I stayed there until it was dark and time to have dinner. Shit, I still had to walk almost four kilometers in the dark. I never feel unsafe in Asia. Suddenly I had the thought that there could be snakes slithering around. Apparently they are hidden during this time of year and only come out when it is extremely hot. In short, I couldn't get that thought out of my head so I just started jogging. Hehe, I soon arrived at my homestay. Phew, that ended well. Chance there were snakes

Early in the morning I was on my bike to take a boat trip through the Trang An landscape. The rowing boat was steered by a local woman. During this four-hour boat trip I saw impressive limestone mountains, temples and caves. Wow, once again I found myself in a beautiful environment with only the sound of whistling birds and the sloshing boat. I had a nice meeting with Chloé, also a solo traveler. Soon we were out together to visit Bich Dong Pagoda. I parked my bike at a café . And guess what, when I came back the bike was gone. The woman from the café looked at her camera images but saw nothing. She decided to go looking for it with her scooter. Less than five minutes later someone from a few cafés away called out that the bike was there. I haven't been stressed about such things for a long time. In the end it always works out. Funny, what I experience here. It seemed like I was the only one, no other tourist told such stories. Before dark I wanted to climb Hang Mua Peak with its five hundred steps. I also did this almost jogging, phew just before pitch dark I reached the top. Wow! On one side I saw hundreds of those green rock formations. From the other side I looked out over rice fields, lilies, small paths, the city and the beautiful small colored lights hanging in the trees. I ended the day with a delicious dinner and crawled into bed on time.

Hop again I moved to the next place. Cat Ba, the largest island in Halong Bay. Moreover, less visited with a wonderful laid back atmosphere. I stayed in a hut eight kilometers from the city. So nice to see Marit again! We chose the Lan Ha Bay cruise because this area is certainly one of the greenest and most unique bays of Vietnam. It is naturally endowed with an untouched and beautiful beauty with almost 400 green islands and islets, 139 beautiful beaches and numerous mountains of different sizes and shapes. Lan Ha and Halong share several natural features such as limestone towers and caves, white sandy beaches and turquoise sea water. Compared to its neighbor, Lan Ha Bay is less crowded and bustling, which contributes to a more quiet and primitive charm. Thanks to the unique features of nature and biodiversity, Lan Ha Bay was declared a National Sea Park by the Vietnamese government in 1986. In 2004, the bay was recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve and in 2012, the bay was ranked as a special national scenic spot.

Wow, those two days were magical. First we sailed by boat to our homestay. That trip was insanely beautiful through those gigantic rock formations, lush green, heavenly water and sun-drenched day.

In the afternoon we hiked on an off-road path that was quite dangerous and steep to have a top view of Halong Bay. Dear readers, what a view! The good luck kept coming... BBQing on a beach in the bay was the next outing. We were there with a small group and alone in that beautiful environment. The end of the day brought us to the most spectacular moment: kayaking in the pitch dark between those rocks through a floating fishing village where only seven families live. Next to that village was a place with luminous plankton! Wow, that was a fairytale scene! When I stroked my hand through the pitch black water I got to see all kinds of sparkling stars. 'Tinkerbell under water! MAGICAL! What a way to end it before I dived into the night!

The next day we cruised the bays all day, stopping for a swim and a bite to eat. And as the icing on the cake we visited a floating fishing village. The fish I found a little less fun. All in all, this was another extraordinary experience.

In Hué, the former imperial city of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty, I stayed two days in a super nice homestay . In the morning in this authentic cozy coffee bar , I drank delicious cappuccino. Hue, Vietnam! What a story this city has to tell, I must say! Not only sunshine and smiling faces, mind you. That history is quite marked by wars, the Vietnam War has wreaked havoc there. Many of those beautiful historical places have survived and are now even on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Take the imperial citadel, wow! Those palaces, temples and gates… you imagine yourself back in the time of the mighty Vietnamese emperors. A real fairytale castle! Or maybe more of a fairytale citadel. But Hue is not only history, you know! Even today, the city radiates that rich heritage. The ancient Thien Mu pagoda by the beautiful Perfume River .... At the royal tomb Khai Dinh, you have to climb more than a hundred steps to reach the eternal resting room of the king. As soon as you step into the main palace, an explosion of colors follows! The interior is richly decorated from floor to ceiling with mosaic, gold and elaborate paintings. If you still have time, a visit to Ho Thuy Tien, a small abandoned water park is definitely worth it. Well, that's what I thought.

And don't forget the food! Want to eat something that will make your taste buds explode and not spend a lot of money! Then go for the delicious typical Bun Bo Hue beef noodle soup. Yum, spicy but oh so good!

Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This beautiful coastal town is a must-see on your trip to Vietnam! It is said to be the most beautiful city in South Asia and is known for its exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port.

Because of the dreamy romantic atmosphere and my wonderful stay I chose to stay a bit longer. I also had decided not to plan too much other than hanging around. Cycling in Vietnam is great, especially in Hoi An. I cycled through the rice fields, along the coast and through the authentic colonial old town with its picturesque streets and beautiful lanterns. Especially in the evening you imagine yourself in a beautiful scene with its light show of lanterns on the river, in the streets, trees and everywhere you let your eyes catch! Such a fascinating cozy city to stay in. Delicious coffee shops such as: Rosies cafe , Sound Of Silence Coffee Shop , Ba Trông Coffee ... For massages, a manicure and a pedicure you are at the right place. Blissful, I lay on the massage table twice and my hands and feet looked tip top. Hoi An, for me 'the culinary orgasm' of Vietnam. Hehe, the dishes were so refined that I did nothing but feast! V Vegan restaurant was my favorite. The ideal moment and place to take a cooking course . Hopefully I can conjure up something delicious Vietnamese one day.