Hanoi
Hanoi is a sprawling city in North Vietnam. It’s the departure point for most organized trips to Ha Long bay. The French influence here can be seen today in some of the architecture, and perhaps most obviously in the culinary scene, where French bread abounds.
St Joseph’s Cathedral- During my visit this Cathedral was closed to visitors, however we admired it as we passed by on several occasions.
Water Puppet Show- Thang Long Water Puppet Theater offers this charming show in Hanoi. I enjoyed the Water Puppet Shows in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Both shows are similar, so probably seeing just one of them is enough for the average tourist, however I visited North and South Vietnam on two separate trips nearly a decade apart, so didn’t mind a little refresher about water puppetry!
B-52 Plane Wreck in Huu Tiep Lake- This wreck remains exactly where it landed, picturesquely in the center of a small lake. When we visited, the adjacent museum was closed, but I felt it was worth the trip over, considering not only the history, but the entire neighborhood is really cute.
Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum- This was among the highlights of the trip for me, but for a slightly strange reason. I bought a sculpture at an antique store in Savannah, Georgia (USA) that was closing and letting everything go at rock bottom prices. I really wasn’t sure what it was a sculpture of exactly or if it had any meaning. All I knew was that the face had fallen off of it and needed to be repaired (which I did repair) and it was cheap. Much to my surprise I found almost an exact copy of mine, or rather, the original in this museum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum- We were only able to visit the exterior and surrounding complex, as the Mausoleum itself was closed (even though according to all information we could find online, it was supposed to be open) Regardless, the surrounding area has a lot to offer
Vietnam Military History Museum- This museum is worth visiting if you’re into war history or machinery. I loved the displays of some of the relics from the war.
Train Street- This is an extremely charming part of town, train tracks lined with cafes and restaurants. Every time a train comes, you’ll have to move yourself into the cafe for safety. Trains seemed to pass by every half hour to hour so watch out! They have a warning system though, so you’ll have ample time to get out of the way.
Hanoi’s Huge Night Market- We enjoyed nibbling on all the different kinds of food available at the night market. The shopping scene was decent, but we didn’t really fall in love with anything they were selling here.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake- This is effectively the center of town. Temple of the Jade Mountain (Đền Ngọc Sơn) lies on an island at the center of the lake, just across the street is the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. The Night Market street ends just at the edge of the lake.
Trang Tien Plaza-
West Lake (Hồ Tây)- This is a huge freshwater lake, but you almost certainly won’t want to swim in it. It smells pretty awful
Tran Quoc Pagoda (Chùa Trấn Quốc)- Located in the middle of West Lake, this Pagoda warrants a visit if you’ve got some extra time to spend in Hanoi
Temple of Literature- This large temple complex consists of several beautiful courtyards, culminating in the temple at the end.
One Pillar Pagoda- This unique pagoda is exactly that- Built on a single Pillar
Ho Chi Minhs Stilt House
Cyclo Tour- This can be a nice way to get around, You get to just sit back and slowly take in the city passing you by, seeing sights from the outside along the way.
Foodie Tip: Highlands Coffee on a boat
This is the most unique Highlands coffee location we saw in Vietnam- Set on a boat at the edge of West Lake.
Ha Long Bay
The crown jewel of Vietnams natural attractions, Ha Long Bay comprises some 1,600 islands, each with jaw dropping natural beauty. Caves and lagoons abound, all set to a misty backdrop. This is a special place.
I didn’t attempt to visit Ha Long Bay on my own, it’s a long way from anywhere, and you’re going to need a boat, the combination of this means you’re likely going to wind up visiting here as part of a package tour with a tour company. Looking into it, we decided that at least an overnight stay was warranted, given the 3 hours traveling time each way to and from Hanoi. With that in mind, we opted for an overnight “Oasis Bay Party cruise” I felt like it was a great choice if you’re looking to just hangout in a beautiful place, drink a lot and meet friends. The one night trip didn’t exactly take us to all the best-known caves or anything like that, but they made the trip fun by having events like beer yoga and a live DJ with dancing and games at night. I loved that they let you climb up the side of the ship by ladder and jump off from several stories high. They also had a floating trampoline, which I enjoyed, even though it was way more exhausting than it initially appeared.
I wound up loving the area and think that you should opt for the two or three night options, I wish we would have had the time for at least another night here.
One of the biggest perks about the cruise was the people we met. Some of whom we ran into again once back in Hanoi and wound up having a good time exploring Hanoi together.
Don’t expect snorkeling
For some reason I had never noticed in photos that the water in Ha Long Bay isn’t clear at all, it’s actually a greenish/gray tint and extremely murky. At times while kayaking we found ourselves in areas less than a foot deep- undistinguishable from areas that were thousands of feet deep, except that we could touch the bottom with our paddles.
Da Nang
Marble Mountains- The highlight of Da Nang for me. These are five Marble and limestone mountains, each named after one of the five elements- Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). I love this place for it’s unique combination of both natural and artistic beauty. On them, you will find Buddhist temples, caves, tunnels, statues, viewpoints, and much more! You’ll want to wear comfortable hiking/walking shoes and bring water. There were vendors selling drinks near the top when we went. The view from the viewpoints was worth the hike up!
Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture- This is a great little museum showcasing Cham Sculpture, which I loved! It’s located just at the west end of the Dragon Bridge. I recommend getting dropped off by your Grab taxi at this museum and then walking across the Dragon Bridge when you finish.
Dragon Bridge- This is a unique bridge, designed to look like a huge dragon spanning the river. On weekends, around 9PM it lights up and spits fire out its mouth.
My Khe Beach- My hotel was situated just opposite My Khe Beach. I thought it was a great beach, nice sand, and had easy access to food and other beach necessities. For those reasons, I didn’t exhaustively look for a better beach in the area.
I didn't have time to get to these, but would love to return for them!
Tượng Phật Bà Quan Âm- Actually, you can see this in the above photo, it's the tiny white dot at the bottom of the hills in the background. Many people visit this temple and then continue up to the top of the mountains, Ban Co Peak.
Ba Na Hills- This is a “French” town recreated in Vietnams hills. It’s home to the Golden Bridge(the one that looks like two huge hands are holding it up) It’s an attraction park accessible by cable car. For adults, a return cable car ticket with admission to the resort complex and fantasy park is 650,000vnd (~$28 USD).
My Son Sanctuary- A great day trip to ruins from either Da Nang or Hoi An
Foodie Tip- Tacos DaNang
If you're like me, Vietnam wasn't your first stop on this trip. By the time I arrived in Vietnam, I was missing Mexican food something awful. Luckily, Tacos DaNang was there for me and satisfied my cravings. I wouldn't say it was exactly the same as what I typically expect of a Mexican restaurant, but everything I ordered was really delicious.
Hoi An
We opted to visit Hoi An as a day trip from Da Nang. We felt like one day was enough to wander the old town and satisfy our curiosity about this ancient city.
Ancient Town- We loved wandering around Hoi An’s ancient town. The Japanese Covered Bridge and the Hoi An Central Market were two highlights, but for blocks and blocks from there this town oozes cuteness
Hoi An Impression Show- We didn’t visit the theme park during the day, but did attend the evening show. It was fun, and we really loved some of the light up costumes and theatrics. If it’s raining you probably want to seriously consider VIP seating, which is the only covered seating available. If it’s not raining, I honestly felt that the lower seats may have been better, as the roof does cut off some of your view at the top row.
Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon
Tet Bonsai Festival- As a plant geek, the Bonsai in Vietnam won my heart. While I was in Ho Chi Minh City, I had the fortune to be there during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) Because of this, there was an absolutely massive Bonsai festival with Bonsai from all over the country. I marveled at the intricacies of each plant. Vietnam takes Bonsai to a whole new level.
The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Show- My first time experiencing this was in Ho Chi Minh City, and it stuck in my head for an entire decade. Upon my return to Vietnam, I knew that I wanted to see this again in Hanoi.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon (Vương cung thánh đường Chính tòa Đức Bà Sài Gòn)- This is a reminder of the huge french influence in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City is the jumpoff Point for exploring the Mekong Delta- Virtually all trips to explore the Mekong Delta depart from Ho Chi Minh City. I picked a cheap one and it was… enlightening, to say the least.
In the Mekong Delta, nighttime can be pretty quiet, but rest assured you’ll be entertained by ongoing Karaoke nightly
Crocodile show- Something about first hand witnessing a human place his entire head inside the mouth of a Crocodile grabs your attention more than seeing it on TV.
Chu Chi Tunnels- An important historical landmark, these are the very same tunnels used during the war. Most of them have degraded, but a couple remain open for tourists to crawl through and experience the hell that the soldiers (and communities in the area) went through during the Vietnam war.
When you visit Chu Chi Tunnels, they do a great job of explaining what the tunnels were used for, how the traps worked, and show you some of the artillery leftover from the war.
Cao Dai Temple- A religion I had never heard of, the singing was enchanting. Funnily enough, there is a Cao Dai Temple less than 30 minutes from my home in California. I came halfway around the world to discover something that was already in my own backyard.
Comunist Propoganda- You'll see this throughout the country. I found it interesting from an artistic perspective- when it comes to the images depicted and color choices. It instantly reminds me of McDonald's every time I see this color combo, attention catching to even the most preoccupied of passers by.
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