Hey everyone, I hope you're all managing to stay positive and motivated during this lockdown. I tend to feel a vast ray of emotions every day. The positive hopeful emotions are there, but the negative anxious ones tend to come all too easily. I have days where I feel good and hopeful about things, but then I feel the cloud over my head starting to form.
This often happens after I've spent too much time on social media wondering why my quarantine isn't as glamorous as others' and making myself believe I should be changing the world from my bedroom. We're all guilty of this, and it's a bit toxic. It also happens after I listen to Donald Trump have a press conference, but we won't go there. The bad days also sometimes just come out of nowhere. I don't fight them anymore, I acknowledge the shit feelings and let myself feel.
The first step in overcoming the bad days is permitting yourself to feel. If this means curling up in bed, watching a funny show, and eating a whole tub of Ben and Jerry's and crying then I'll do it. Believe me. When you're in that clouded state of mind, it feels like you'll never get out. But eventually, the Ben and Jerry's gets put back in the freezer and the cloud does pass. It's important to listen to your mind and body. Don't push it. If you feel like you need to rest all day and do absolutely nothing, then do just that. After all, this is a pandemic, not a productivity contest (I know you've probably heard that before but here's a little reminder!) Spend less time on social media and focus on yourself.
Once this is all over, I'm assuming a lot of people are going to be raring to get out there and travel again. I know I am! So, without further ado, I hope you get some inspiration from this post. Who knows, maybe Vietnam will be your next destination (highly recommend if you haven't been before!)
Vietnam was my favourite place!
Vietnam is a fabulous backpacking destination because you don't have to spend ages planning the best route to take. There are really only two options: you go from the North to the South or from the South to the North. Of course you can alter the route how you like, but these are generally the most logical routes. People tend to stay close to the coast and enjoy the stunning beaches along the way. Starting in Ho Chi Minh, I went from the South to the North.
I would have loved to have stayed longer in Vietnam if I could, but unfortunately I had a flight already booked to Bali which I had to catch. I didn't do absolutely everything, but the stuff I did do was incredible. This blog post will give you an overview of the key places I stopped (most of which are popular backpacker destinations), shed light on some useful stuff you should know, and point out some highlights! I've put my top 3 highlights for each place to stop this post being a novel, obviously there are loads more. I've also included links that you can follow if you want to find out more.
1. Ho Chi Minh City
The anxiety-inducing land of motorcycles. I have never seen so many bikes in my life. Crossing the road comes with practice. You basically just step out into oncoming traffic and walk at a steady pace and bikes miraculously dodge you. It's actually a very cool experience, just be careful and walk in a group if you can!
My top 3 highlights
1. War Remnants Museum - an absolute must visit! Learn about the history of the Vietnam war and the devastating, long-lasting effects it has had on the Vietnamese people and their culture.
2. The Hideout Hostel Pub Crawl - The Hideout hostel Saigon is definitely the place you need to go if you want to party it up, which you will of course want to do when in Vietnam. We didn't actually stay at this hostel, but we joined our mates for the weekly pub crawl. What a time. A cheap alcohol-fuelled night, ending with a delicious Bánh mì off the side of the street.
3. Food Tour of the City - This is a great way to experience the city and culture through food. A guide will take you around to all the local spots and you'll openly expose your taste buds to a new adventure. Just be careful if you've got any allergies... a guy from my tour group told the guide he had a shellfish allergy at the start. At the second spot, we all started eating a dish and one of my friends realized there was shellfish in it. We quickly warned the guy and he immediately spit out his food. Lovely. Luckily he didn't swallow anything. A trip back to the hostel to get his EpiPen was needed just in case. Turns out he was fine! Although our tour guide was trusted, it doesn't hurt to double-check... sometimes things are lost in
translation!
2. Mui Ne
Catch a bus from Ho Chi Minh up north to Mui Ne, a really cute beachside town and popular holiday destination. All these 3 highlights can be done in one day.
My top 3 highlights
1. Red and White Sand Dunes - Take a visit to the sand dunes at sunrise for a spectacular show and go for a wild ride on the back of a dune buggy.
2. Fishing Village - Visit the fishing village to experience the locals' morning fishing routine. There's lots of fresh goods from the ocean, half of which I couldn't identify. Didn't purchase anything for my breakfast but the creatures were cool to look at nonetheless.
3. Fairy Stream - Hidden not too far outside the center of town, you'll find the Fairy Stream under a random bridge. You walk through an idyllic ankle-deep stream and venture along until you reach a red and white clay mountain that towers over you. I really felt like I was in a fairy tale. It was so stunning!
3. DaLat
DaLat was absolutely dalatful. We all loved it. It's at a higher elevation, so you'll need to whip out those layers because it gets chilly. DaLat is about a 3 and a half-hour drive north of Mui Ne. We stayed at Mr. Peace hostel, which was so fabulous. We also all got a bottom bunk, which is really a big reason to celebrate whilst backpacking. The best thing about hostels in Vietnam is that they almost all have family dinners every night. The family dinner at Mr. Peace's hostel was to die for.
DaLat is known for its crazy architecture. It's known as the "Town of Eternal Spring" and used to be a place where wealthy French would escape to during colonial times. Lots of the architecture in DaLat was actually inspired by Antonio Gaudi. I never thought I'd ever feel like I was in Barcelona whilst in Vietnam?!
My top 3 highlights
1. The Maze Bar and weird secret elevator club - 100 Roofs Cafe (also known as the maze bar) was designed by a talented Vietnamese architecture named Mr. Phuong. This place is amazing and definitely worth a visit. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's a mysterious labyrinth. You buy a drink at the entrance then get lost, making your way through dark narrow twists and turns as you try to find the rooftop bar area. I banged my head many times. Don't get too drunk before you attempt to navigate!
If you're lucky and it's busy, there's also an after-party once the bar closes. A guy picked us all up in a van and drove us to what seemed like a quiet residential apartment block. I know, it sounds like a horror film. We were all told to be very quiet as we scurried inside this building and got into a lift. Were we going to someone's apartment? The lift went up a few floors, the doors opened and we stepped out into what felt like an underground dungeon rave. Flashing disco lights, loud music, and a makeshift bar. It was epic.
2. The Crazy House - If you love Fairy Tales and Alice in Wonderland then this place is magical. I mean, it's magical even if you don't love Fairy Tales or Alice in Wonderland. It's so fun! I felt like a kid in a playground. Designed by Vietnamese architect Đặng Việt Nga, this guest house is really a representation of her imagination. Filled with bright colorful swirls, interesting shapes, swirling staircases, and impressive views, you'll wander around and feel like you're in a dream.
3. Alpine Coaster - I've seen videos online of these Alpine Coaster rides and have always wanted to do it. Whizz down a mountain and watch the beautiful scenery pass by. When you get to the bottom, there's a stunning waterfall!
4. Bai Xep
Bai Xep is a tiny little non-touristy beachside village. Not many backpackers stop here, but it was great to be some of the only tourists! We were only there for one night so I don't have 3 distinct highlights. We enjoyed trekking to some random waterfall through a jungle, getting caught in the rain, and then drinking lots of beers and playing cards whilst watching the heavens continue to open.
5. Hội An
Hội An tends to be one of the favorite stops for travelers. We loved it so much that we stayed a full week. It's even been voted the most beautiful place in the world! Idyllic, quaint, cheerful, and a true feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. I don't want to give too much away, because it's really a place you need to experience for yourself!
My top 3 highlights
1. The tailored made clothes - Vietnam is a great place to get good quality tailored made clothes for a fraction of the price we're used to paying. Next time I go, when I'm older and have more money, I'm bringing an empty suitcase to fill to the brim with exquisite clothes, shoes and bags. We found our favorite reasonably priced place called Beri the Tailor (linked in title). The women there are so incredibly lovely and will do everything they can to make sure you have the best experience and are happy with your purchases!
2. Eco Village Cooking Class and Basket Boat Tour - Attend the morning markets to collect fresh ingredients, learn how to make popular Vietnamese dishes, and cruise along the Thu Bon river in a basket. One of the best experiences in Hội An!
3. Madam Khanh, the Bánh mì Queen - A lot of our time in Vietnam was spent eating Bánh mìs. I'm really surprised I didn't turn into one, to be honest. We were always trying different places to see if we could find the best one. It's up for debate, but this Bánh mì place in Hội An was the winner for me. Delicious town.
Hội An is filled with incredible places to eat, whether it be in a restaurant or on the side of the street. Two places that really stood out for me: Com Linh (delicious cheap local restaurant) and Bún Thịt Nuong (amazing street side place).
6. Hue
Our journey from Hội An to Hue was spectacular because we went via the Hải Vân Pass. If you've watched Top Gear you'll know what I'm talking about! It's a stunning 21km long mountain pass which traverses a spur of the larger Annamite Range that juts into the East Sea. Again, we were only in Hue for one night, therefore we didn't get up to too much. What we should have done was go to the abandoned waterpark... but you know sometimes you make the wrong decisions whilst travelling. Instead, we decided to get grab bikes to the nearest beach. The nearest beach happened to be way further than anticipated. It was also an awful beach. To make it even better, we got completely ripped off by our grab drivers! They're very sneaky and manipulate you to make you think you've agreed to a higher price. They're also very persistent no matter how much of a fight you put up. Again, a lost in translation moment. Always make sure you're very clear with instructions and prices and always bargain the price down as much as you can.
7. Phong Nha
Caving, hiking, camping, Kayaking... Phong Nha is one of the places where you can experience Vietnam's impressive nature in all its glory. It's also a great place to learn how to ride a moped because of the open roads which are less busy!
My top 3 highlights
1. Paradise cave - This is an incredibly impressive limestone cave with a maximum height of 72 meters. It's like a whole underground world! Mother Nature blows my mind.
2. The Duck Stop - This was by far one of my highlights of Vietnam. Who wouldn't absolutely love spending a few hours surrounded by ducks in a duck farm? I guess if you have a fear of birds this wouldn't be the place for you. We spent the whole afternoon laughing our heads off at how ducking riduckulously brilliant it all was. A unique, once in a lifetime experience.
3. Ke Bang National Park - Beautiful scenic trek through the jungle with waterfalls and lush green landscapes.
8. Ninh Bình
Ninh Bình city is a small city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It's such a cute little town and there are plenty of great day trips you can do.
My top 3 highlights
1. The Banana Tree hostel - Such a lovely hostel with scenic views, clean rooms, and lovely staff.
2. Double-decker party bus - I couldn't find a link to these, but in the middle of the street you can find double-decker buses with bars on top. It really pops off in the evening and they even let you play your own music!
3. Tam Coc river cruise - Have a blissful, peaceful time cruising along the river soaking in all the natural biodiversity and impressive lush mountains. I felt like I was in the film Avatar.
9. Hanoi
I much preferred Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. It's still extremely busy but it's a bit less daunting. There are so many cute little coffee shops, retail outlets, and pubs. There's just so much culture! You'll never be short of something to do.
My top 3 highlights
1. The Note Coffee - This place is adorable. You may have seen pictures on Instagram of girls posing with their aesthetically pleasing coffee in front of a backdrop of colourful post-it notes. You buy your coffee (highly recommend the coconut laté or egg coffee), sit down, and can write a little message which you then stick on the walls, tables, chairs, or ceiling. I really enjoyed reading all the messages and would love to go back one day to see if my note is still there!
2. Pub Street - Hanoi has an amazing nightlife. Pub street is full of, well, pubs! We had a fabulous time, for so cheap.
3. Egg Coffee - This was a great little secret Egg Coffee place called Cafe Dinh. You wouldn't think it was there from a street view, but once you walk down the narrow alleyway there's a steep set of stairs which leads up to the cafe! A lot of great places are hidden like this in Vietnam. You feel like you're walking into someone's apartment but it turns out to be a great little joint filled with visitors.
10. Ha Giang Loop
Truly living, feeling as free and happy as I’ve ever felt. Completing the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam with such incredible people by my side was definitely a highlight of my whole trip. We turned corners and tears would start welling up in our eyes. We just couldn’t believe the sheer beauty of what this world has to offer. The pictures and videos just don’t do it justice at all! On this 4 day 3 night adventure, we motorcycled through the mountain range of northern Vietnam and even went to the Chinese border. The Vietnamese people are so kind-hearted, welcoming, and fun. These days were filled with endless amounts of corn wine, laughter, and joy. I’ll cherish these memories forever. Please enjoy this video I put together of the loop! If you ever get the chance to do it, you must. Check out the video I made from the loop below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtqIj-ZqFqI
I think that pretty much sums up my time in Vietnam! You're a legend if you've made it this far. Of course, there are so many more places to visit which I couldn't squeeze in this time, but I know I'll be back one day! Thanks for reading and I hope this has given you some inspiration and excitement to travel again.
Be sure to subscribe to my blog to receive updates straight to your inbox. Your support is greatly appreciated:)
Big love,
Belle x
Comments