Incense sticks burning in the Temple of Literature
We’d established that the road (there is no train) from Laos over the border into Vietnam is one not to be taken lightly. If you’re the gambling kind you’d be spoilt for choice; will you break down on the way? How many times? Will you be able to sleep?
Will you make it without blowing chunks?
Needless to say the first of Vietnam’s soil we touched was in Ha Noi’s airport. To get there by plane from a neighbouring country, check the local agencies of wherever you are to see if they have any good deals, but don’t say yes until you’ve checked the internet.
As far as VISA tips go, the only way you’re gonna get in is if you already have it. You can pay for one to pick up from the airport (VISA on arrival), but this still requires pre-planning. If you haven’t got it yet look at your options for where you are, for example if you’re in Bangkok you can get a speedy one-day express service for your VISA from the Vietnam Embassy. Be warned, it isn’t cheap (2700 baht) and you must get there early in the morning (08:30 – 11:30) to pick it up in the afternoon (13:30 – 16:30).
Ha Noi
First, a little history of my travel companion; my better half. She’s Australian—she grew up there, she ends all her sentences like they’re questions even when they’re not, she abbreviates every word in the English language and she thinks she’s awesome (okay, so she is awesome, but for jumping joey’s sake don’t tell her that). But her background is Vietnamese, and while I was looking at a city for the first time, she was recognising streets and landmarks. She’s fluent in the language, too, and that was especially useful for me and my first impressions of the capital.
As it happened I was reading “1984″ by George Orwell at the time and it was quite the coincidence. Billboards and banners covered the city with party slogans, a popular one saying “The voice of the party is the voice of the nation”. In no small thanks to my own personal translator, it was the first time I’d ever visited a communist country and really felt it.
I also got to see a side that most travellers wouldn’t as I had the privilege of meeting my partner’s family. They spoke no word of English and my beloved had the arduous task of translating, but I still learnt a lot from the experience. Being the only westerner her family’s neighbours had seen, especially within their community, I had no end of curious stares, but I got to try some intriguing local cuisine (half-fertilised eggs, anyone?) and gleemed traditional local life where the rich rub shoulders with the poor and the community spirit is everything.
Ho Chi Minh’s tomb
Getting back to the city, though, and one of the must-do things is visit Ho Chi Minh’s tomb. For those who don’t know who he is read this, for those who do some of you may wonder why you’d want to go. Truth is that as a visitor you’ll get something totally different from the experience than a native, who’ll go almost like a form of worship. Those in the north of the country really do revere him so. But you as a visitor will want to go just because it’s a bit freaky and creepy, for the president—dead now for almost 45 years—is preserved and lies in a glass grave for all to see.
The biggest tip I can give, however, regards something so simple as crossing the road. Don’t.
The first thing that will astonish you in Ha Noi is the sheer volume of motorcycles on the road. Streets are more like rivers, the thousands of scooters the free-flowing water. Oh, you’ll wish there were bridges. Traffic lights and especially zebra-crossings mean absolutely nothing to the locals and you literally have to make a well-judged march across what can sometimes be four or even six lanes of flowing traffic. The good thing, though, is that speeding is not a problem, traffic goes relatively slowly.
My tip, then, is to treat the traffic like a pack of wild animals and don’t show fear. Simply walk out slowly, aim for the gaps and let the scooters do the work of going round you. Whatever you do don’t make any sudden movements or try to rush across. The first time, you might actually want to wait for a local and just watch, no, marvel at how they sail across unflinchingly. Give it a few days and you’ll be a pro, too.
Ha Long Bay
Yet again we got a good deal for this tourist hotspot through the hostel at which we stayed in Ha Noi (“Little Hanoi Hostel” and we fully recommend it). We did a two-night trip, spending the first night on a boat and the second on Cat Ba Island. It was a fantastic little trip, doing a bit of walking, canoeing and enjoying some first class food.
One of many islets of Ha Long Bay
We also visited an island known as “Monkey Island” (because, well, it has monkeys on it). There are, however, many “Monkey Islands” around and off the Asian coasts and I can only assume the same advice can be given for all of them, which is be careful. Don’t bring food or drink with you and if you bring your camera, phone or anything else you’d rather not lose, keep it safe in a bag securely on your back or gripped tightly in your hand.
Bits and pieces are fanciful to the monkeys, but if you keep a close eye on them you should be fine. Food and drink, on the other hand, are things the monkeys will do anything for and they won’t stop until they have it. They are so used to humans they have no fear and will climb on you and even bite and scratch you to get to that bag of crisps or take that can of soda.
Apparently if you walk around with a large rock in your hand or a big stick they get the idea and won’t come near you. But if you’re going to do this you have to promise yourself you won’t actually use what’s in your hand—it is only supposed to be a deterrent.
The view from a peak on Cat Ba Island
And my last tip for Ha Long Bay is one I keep droning on about, but for a good reason. If you can, take as little as you can with you. It’s a two day trip and you won’t need most of your backpack, so—and especially if you’ve booked through them—leave your big pack at the hostel for a couple of days and make life a lot easier for yourself with a small pack. Just make sure you have sun cream and a swim suit. For the forgetful there are a few shops at the port, but they are small and sell only essentials.
After monkeying around and taking in some amazing views of the some 2,000 islets (small islands) of Ha Long Bay, we headed back to the mainland to continue our southward journey.