Vietnam’s Vibe
According to the Vietnam tourism bureau’s statistics for 2007, its total number of tourist was 3.8 million with an increase from last year of 103%. For the next ten days I will travel from south in Saigon (A.K.A. Ho Chi Minh) to Hanoi the capital in the north. Hotels in Hanoi are at a shortage and prices for rooms have increased up to two times more in some areas. Traffic is increasing in the air and on the ground. From the 15th of December 2007 it is compulsory to wear motorcycle helmets. Vietnam is changing rapidly and tourism is one of the driving forces for its booming economy.
Day 1 Saigon
This is where the south was lost in the war to the north so when locals talk about their city they call it Saigon. When locals fill out legal documents they call it Ho Chi Minh. Ho is most famous for leading the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. He led the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War until his death; six years later, the war ended with a North Vietnamese victory, and Vietnamese unification followed. The former capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in his honour.
Its population is meandering on 8 million but it is hard to tell as more and more Vietnamese from all over Vietnam are moving into the city that is the beating pulse of its economy with Hanoi in second place.
5 places worth a visit:
1. Dong Khoi Street ( Film scenes from “the Quiet American”)
2. Notre Dame Cathedral (Built by the French in the 1880’s)
3. Saigon Post Office (across the road from Notre Dame)
4. Reunification Hall (formerly the Presidents Palace)
5. Ben Thanh Market (city’s central market)
5 local dishes:
1. Pho (B/fast noodle soup w/ chicken or beef)
2. Pho 2000 (Restaurant next to central market)
3. Lau Hai San (Seafood Hot Pot)
4. Lau De (Goat Hot Pot)
5. Cha Gio (Spring Rolls)
Day 2 Mekong Delta
Amidst the hazy sky and murky brown waters of the mighty Mekong, we boarded our ferry for a day on the Delta. Feeling dwarfed by the enormity of several barges flowing past, I had no idea what to expect in the myriad of hidden entrances down narrow pathways. After a two hour drive from Vietnam’s capital Saigon, we arrive in a region where the Mekong river approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong Delta encompasses a large portion of South Eastern Vietnam of 39,000 km. The area covered by water depends on the season. We are in the month of December after the rainy season. A cool 25-30 degrees celcius. Today we are here to sample Mekong’s fruits, food and drink.
5 things worth trying:
1. Elephant Ear fish
2. Catfish
3. Snake Wine
4. Honey, tea & Cumquat mixed
5. Coconut candy
Agriculture and tourism seem to intertwine together and more surprisingly natural wildlife plays a part in tourism as well. Large 2 metre long pythons can be wrapped around our neck like scarfs. This is Eco-Tourism to the max.
Day 3 Cu Chi Tunnels
Located 70km North-West of Saigon lies the Cu-Chi tunnels. During the Vietnam war between 1965 – 1972 buried beneath the ground lay a network of tunnels where the north Vietnamese Vietcong would hide. Viet meaning “Vietnamese” and Cong meaning “communist”. The Vietcong were also known as the NLF (National Liberation Front).
5 things worth doing:
1. Crawl down a tunnel
2. Shoot a machine gun
3. Eat Tapioca
4. Drink Green Tea
5. Buy a cheap souvenir
Like a chameleon in the jungle the enemy would hide in tunnels 4-5 metres deep. When we arrived with our guide, stood by a tree and asked if we could find an entrance nearby, nobody was successful in locating a tunnel hatch. Right under our noses, the guide brushed away some leaves and revealed a wooden hatch and rope to pull open. Hundreds of these secret doors still connect many tunnels. The American G.I.’s would use sniffer dogs to try and find them. To throw the dogs scent astray the Vietcong would confuse them with false entrances leading to traps.
Day 4 & 5 Hoi An
Hoi An is a small city on the coast of the South China Sea in central Vietnam. It is located in the Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 88,000 inhabitants. We fly into the busy port city of Danang, an hour away from Saigon. Hoi An is Vietnam’s most colourful town with quaint French colonial architecture and a spattering of Chinese and Japanese influence.
In 1999, the old town was declared World Heritage by UNESCO, as a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, whose buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences.
5 Things to do;
1. See a tailor
2. Visit the local market
3. Design some jewelry
4. Eat a French Pastry
5. Join a Vietnamese Cooking Class
Day 6 & 7 Hue
From Hoi An we drive along the beautiful Hai Van pass to Hue. On our way out of Hoi An we stop at China Beach where the American G.I’s used to stop over for some R&R. From here we drive further south along the coastal road to a place called Marble Mountain.
Marble Mountains is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward, south of Da Nang city in Vietnam. The five 'mountains' are named under the five elements - metal, water, wood, fire and earth.
Hue is our next stop after a three hour drive, we arrive in the busy city known for its monuments and architecture. Between 1802 and 1945, it was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. With a population close to 400,000 it feels more like a small city than a big town.
5 things to see or do:
1. The Citadel (Home of the Emperors)
2. Cyclo ride ( around town)
3. Dragon Boat ride (Perfume River)
4. Tu Docs Royal Tombs
5. Buddhist Monks Morning Prayer
Day 8 - 10 Hanoi & Halong Bay
Hanoi
This is my second time in Hanoi after a year. I notice a huge difference in the traffic and an increase in the number of motorbikes and cars. This equates to more money in a city which is growing beyond its current means. This is where all political decisions are made for the rest of the country. Hanoi has an air of arrogance and elegance that stands out from the rest of Vietnam.
A city with 11 lakes therefore also known as “the city of lakes” Hoan Kiem lake in the old quarter is where most tourist first experience Hanoi’s vibrance. Hanoian’s live on the streets all day everyday. Government has just imposed new laws to allocate proper motorbike parking stations around the city. To date the sidewalks have always been where locals park their motorbikes or set up street stalls. Unfortunately, due to an increase in traffic, pedestrians need to stop using the streets and start using the sidewalks in busy areas.
This evening I hooked up with some locals to have a bite to eat. After a few shots of Hanoian Vodka and pippies, my big western bottom on a tiny plastic stoll was starting to fill the strain. Directly behind our table in a back alley, a tip truck backs in to drop off some soil at a construction site directly across our sidewalk street stall. Perhaps a reminder of the growth that is happening all over Hanoi. The hustle and bustle is what gives this city a buzz worth experiencing.
5 things to do:
1. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
2. Old Quarter
3. Eat street food (At your own risk)
4. Local Beer at sunset overlooking any lake
5. Shop till you drop
Halong Bay
About a 2.5 hour drive east of Hanoi. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.
5 Things to do:
1. Visit an island
2. Visit a floating village
3. Walk through a cave
4. Dive off your boat
5. Eat the seafood
At the airport
I am left wanting more. More time to see this culturally diverse nation of 54 ethnic groups. More time to savour all its cuisines and customs in each province. I feel as though I have skimmed the surface of this great nation. Sitting at the international airport in Hanoi about to board my plane It has just dawned on me that I have only been here 10 days which felt more like a month.
