When you’re travelling to a new area of the world for the first time, you’re never really sure what to expect. You can do all the research you want, but it’s not until you really set foot on the land and start connecting with the people that you can decide what the area is like. It’s our first time traveling to Southeast Asia, and I would have to say that I didn’t have really high expectations before arriving. We’ve started off our journey in Vietnam and most of the travel blogs and information we read painted the country in a much different way then what we’ve experienced so far. We even spoke to a handful of people that have visited this area, and the feedback we got was that the country is full of scams, thieves, and untrustworthy individuals. I have to report that this is not what we have experienced at all.

Now don’t get me wrong, no matter where you’re going in the world, you always need to be aware of your surroundings, use common sense, and make sure that you’re a little educated about the area. With that being said, we felt very safe in Northern Vietnam and we were overwhelmed with the gratitude in which we were welcomed with. We spent almost two weeks in the Northern part of Vietnam but there is a lot to see and do in the country, so if you’re planning on visiting here, you could easily spend a whole month touring around and still not see everything. Here’s what we chose to see and do in our short amount of time.

Arriving in Vietnam

First off, because this was our first leg of our Southeast Asia journey, we’ve learned to allow yourself an extra day in your first stop (if you have that luxury) to chill and get yourself into the new routine. Jet leg effects everyone differently and it can really take a toll on your health, which in turn can ruin your travels. Coming from Canada, we are 13 hours behind Vietnam, so getting your circadian rhythm on track was our first priority. Luckily, we were able to schedule our flights to have us arrive in Hanoi in the middle of the morning, so by the time we got ourselves to our hotel it was noon. A delightful surprise was that there was a spa across the street, so we went for a massage while waiting for our room to be ready for us! As hard as it is, we forced ourselves to stay awake after checking in, had showers, went for a bite to eat and then tucked ourselves in for an early night. By 7:00 am the next morning we were up and ready to go and take on the city!

I just want to rewind a moment and discuss transportation from the airport. After some really bad experiences getting transportation from airports to our accommodations we’ve come to the conclusion that if there’s a shuttle to your hotel/hostel for a reasonable price - TAKE IT! It makes life so much easier, and it takes away the headache when you first arrive somewhere that is unfamiliar. With that being said, we took many taxis and had no problems - just make sure you agree on a price beforehand or go with the meter. A lot of blogs I read said it was unsafe to take a taxi, however, we did not feel this way. The Vietnamese were extremely polite and helpful everywhere we went.

Hanoi

Hanoi is a bustling city, full of people and 4 million motorbikes! The great thing about it is, if you don’t mind walking, you can visit all the main attractions by foot. We had two full days available for touring around, which was plenty. Most places you are going to want to visit are close to each other, plus, the air quality is a little hard to take if you’re not use to it. We stayed in a great little boutique hotel in the Old Quarter called Holiday Emerald. The rooms were spacious, clean and the staff was amazing. It instantly felt like home. It was also a great location, as we had easy access to good food and all the main attractions.

We got an early start on our first day, and set out on foot through the Old Quarter to the Hoa Lo Prison. This prison was used for multiple uses throughout the years and is an interesting place to learn about some of the horrible past. There are audio guides available, but we decided to walk through on our own. The building isn’t large, so it didn’t require a long visit. On our way to the prison we stopped and took a few photos at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. You can find many old churches throughout Vietnam that have a similar architecture to Notre Dame. This is from the many years of French Occupation. It was recommended to us by the locals to visit the Women’s Museum, so we decided to check it out. This museum is dedicated to the history of Vietnamese women up to the present time. It was on our way towards the French Quarter, so we decided to check it out. It’s a small museum that had some interesting facts and exhibits. It’s not a ‘must see’ place, but it was nice to get a glimpse into the past. We continued our day to walking the streets of the French Quarter to the Opera House and then set out to find the perfect egg coffee! Mr. Giang was the creator of the egg coffee back in 1946, so we searched for Cafe Giang to try this concoction. There’s a few different recipes, but the main ingredients are coffee, condensed milk, butter and egg yolk. Giang created this in 1946 when there was a milk shortage, and they've become a hit across the country ever since…and guess what? It’s DELICIOUS! Another popular thing to do in Hanoi is to stop at the barber and get a hair cut, so guess what Iden had to do?!?!

After a coffee and a hair cut, we made our way on foot towards the small lake in the centre of the Old Quarter. We took a stroll around, visited the The Temple of Jade Mountain, and then booked some tickets for a Water Puppet Show. Water puppet shows are popular in Vietnam, and it’s worth going to one. We went to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, located on the north east side of the lake. Even though the show is all in Vietnamese, it was fun to watch. Later in the evening we walked through the streets and decided to take our chance visiting the night market. We heard horror stories about the pick pockets and scam artists at the night market, so I was a bit nervous to go. Now, we’re not really market people anyway, and this one didn’t change our mind. Most of the items are the same things that you can purchase at the shops throughout the day. I can report that it wasn’t a scary experience! I’ve been to much more hectic markets and this one seemed pretty calm. You always need to keep your wits about you when in large crowds, but you don’t have to be nervous. If you like markets, go, but for me, it was nothing overly impressive.

Now we because Hanoi is the first stop on our Southeast Asian trip, we decided to not overfill our days with sightseeing. On our second day of touring around, it was suggested that we go to West Lake. If you’re staying in the Old Quarter, it’s a bit out of the way, but we set decided to walk anyway. Now remember how I said there is 4 million motorbikes in Hanoi? Be prepared to share the road with them all the time. Don’t worry, it looks scarier than it is. The key is to look both ways, and once you commit to going, don’t stop or step back, the bikes will go around you. Many bloggers say it’s like the parting of the Red Sea!

Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, but to our disappointment it was closed to the public during our stay. So we found our way into the museum - BIG MISTAKE! This was the most hectic museum I’ve ever been in my life. Unless you’re a huge Ho Chi Minh fan, I don’t suggest going here. It was full of people pushing their way around and talking at high volumes. We didn’t overstay our visit, and left as soon as we could. We had a quick walk through the botanical gardens (which was a nice change of pace from the city) and finally made it to West Lake. The description from the local people was that this lake was “beautiful” and “romantic.” I beg to differ. It was polluted and overcrowded. So we stopped for a coffee and then started to make our way onto our next few stops.

The Temple of Literature was originally build as a university in 1070. It was one of my favourite places to see in Hanoi. After stepping through the walls, it’s a little less crowded and it’s full of interesting architecture. We stayed for awhile and took some photos before we headed to Train Street. This is an interesting tourist attraction that the Vietnamese have cleverly capitalized on. It’s a narrow, inhabited alley where a train passes through daily. This place would normally considered the slums in other countries, but not here. There are tiny cafes set up along the tracks and 5 minutes before the train comes, the shop owners scurry around to bring the tables in to clear a path for the train. At 3:20pm a train comes wizzing through, leaving only a few feet on each side to stand on. After it passes through, the tourists cheer and continue on with their coffee & beer. Kinda funny!

We felt like we got a great feel for Hanoi and enjoyed the cities energy for the few days we were there. If you’re a fan of Vietnamese food, you won’t be disappointed! There are so many restaurants, so be wise at making your decisions. We always looked for places with lots of locals. You’ll be eating plenty of Pho, Bun Cha and Binh Mi!

Halong Bay

After being in the city for a few days, it was time to go and explore some other areas. If you’re in Northern Vietnam, Halong Bay is a must see. It’s a natural wonder, full of limestone islands, rainforests and caves. If you have the luxury of spending some time here, you can take a small cruise ship for a few days and get deep into the bay. We only had time for a day trip, which in my opinion ended up being enough. Unfortunately the bay is full of hundreds of boats, leaving the water pretty polluted. Fortunately, once you’re on your own tour boat, you feel a sense of peace and can enjoy the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. We had about 4 hours touring around the islands with a stop at a cave and a little kayaking trip. I’m so glad we took the 4 hour bus ride to and from Hanoi to experience this beautiful cause of nature.

Sapa

Before coming to Vietnam I was excited to go trekking in Sapa. I envisioned hiking through the rice fields deep into the hills and connecting with the locals. However, we had a few glitches. I think our first mistake was being cheap and not booking a tour. We wanted an authentic experience, not a touristy one, but unfortunately that’s what this area has become. The good thing is, we did get the see the rice terraces and farms from an authentic perspective. We set out early in the morning for our trek, taking directions from locals, but ended up walking in circles through muddy rice terraces and local farms! Every blog I read, and all the locals spoke of how cold it is in Sapa, but this definitely was not the case for us. I was soon feeling the effects of heat exhaustion due to the high altitude and humidity, so we journeyed back to our hotel to regroup. After a cold shower, and lots of water, we set out on another trekking path. The path to Cat Cat Village was easy to get to and brought us to an interesting village along the river by a waterfall. The villages really rely on tourism, and because of this, they aren’t as authentic as they once were. There’s little shops, cafes and even wifi! One thing I did appreciate is that the local people were not pushy and didn’t hassle you to purchase anything. Although the experience wasn’t what I imagined it would be, we got a 20km hike in, saw some amazing landscapes, and got close and personal with the locals.

Now traveling to Sapa is almost as adventurous as Sapa itself! You can get there by car, train or bus. Seeing as the trains don’t accommodate people over 5’7, and private cars were pricey, we chose the sleeper bus. It’s a 6 hour ride, with most of it being pretty smooth. However, the last hour is full of winding curves - so if you get motion sick like me…BE READY! I was impressed with how comfortable I was on the bus. It’s a regular sized bus with two levels of fully reclining seats. Now, if you have a hard time getting on the ground or hopping onto a bunk, this bus isn’t for you! They make you take your shoes off when you enter the bus (which I liked) and only bring on a purse or maybe a small bag. There’s no food allowed, so they expect you to eat at the two rest stops that are taken - oh ya - no toilets either. Now coming from Canada, a rest stop is usually a huge plaza with multiple places to eat, get coffee, use the facilities etc. This is not the case in Vietnam. Most of the stops are at big places, but they only serve junk food and the facilities are a little sketchy. Make sure you pack your own toilet paper! One of the stops was absolutely HORRIFIC! It was a small place with a dirty restaurant, cockroaches crawling on the walls and only a hole in the ground to do your business. Lets just say, I took my chances on how long we had until the next stop and opted out of all of these ‘amenities’!!!

After being in Vietnam for a few weeks, we felt very comfortable with the country. Not only is it full of a variety of beautiful landscapes, but the warm hearted people that we came in contact with really made our experience amazing. All of our accommodations were clean, well supplied and the staff went above and beyond. We’re just starting out on our journey and Vietnam is a big country with lots to see and experience. Make sure you check out our video and photo gallery to get a glimpse of what we saw while we were here!