I was finally here! After talking about going to Vietnam for what seems an eternity I have arrived in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Funnily enough the day I flew out of Laos, the sun came out.
Hanoi and Halong Bay
HANOI
I decided to stay in the chaotic Old Quarter of Hanoi, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by small shops and local restaurants with lots of little plastic chairs spread around the paths. Following my rather quiet time in Laos it was actually nice to be back in the hustle and bustle of a chaotic place, exploring all the different streets and alleys.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hanoi is not really a sightseeing place, and on the morning I decided to walk to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (the only thing worth seeing) it was closed. Oh well, it looks like Lenin in the Red Square Moscow might have to be my first embalmed person I see, rather than Bac Ho!
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
So if you do come to Hanoi, you come for the chaos and the hip culture as well as the food and the coffee scene. Vietnamese love their coffee culture. There are so many tiny coffee shops, all serving the best coffee there is. Of course I had to have the famous ‚egg coffee‘ and it was delicious. I also sample a soup in every restaurant I am in, no matter what time of the day. Give me a Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup) and I am happy. My stomach was slowly getting back to normal as well. Did the soup help?
Egg Coffee in making 
Ha Long Bay
After a few days in Hanoi it was time to organise a tour to Ha Long bay. A UNESCO World Heritate site and must see destination in Vietnam that you shouldn‘t miss.
Ha Long Bay (Halong Bay) is best known for its emerald waters and almost 3000 of towering limestone islands topped with rainforests. The only way to explore this area is with a Boat Cruise that at times can be crowded with tourists unfortunately. It is rather commercial and they do not come cheaply. That said there are certainly plenty of cruises to choose from, for all needs and budgets.
How to choose the best Halong Bay Cruise?
First of all I would not book online. Because you want to make sure that what you book suits you and your budget. Not to mention making sure that you get what you booked!
It didn’t take me long to realise that in Vietnam you don’t get what you think you booked. It is all ‚false advertising’ and I learned it after changing accomodation three times due to ‚that‘s not what I booked‘, before finally settling in. Really!
Back to the cruises. At the end of the day most cruises look the same and most offer the same itinerary. Visiting the caves and floating villages, kayaking and swimming.
Personally, I managed to get a last minute deal on the Garden Bay Luxury Cruise. I admit I splurged for this trip as I had no interest in being on a party boat. Originally I looked into going for two nights (recommended by many) however the weather wasn‘t too perfect and so I decided on the 1 night tour. Better one than none. It was the perfect amount of time to take it all in and see the natural wonder.
It was a shame the sun didn’t come out fully but I still managed to take some great shots!
The actual time on the boat is less than 24 hours but it was enough to visit a cave, go kayaking and visit a floating village. In between we were fed while cruising through the isles of Halong Bay. It was amazing! My morning coffee tasted especially good given the scenery around me.
The bus ride back to Hanoi was quite comfortable and easy. Maybe because I paid for the luxury package? However after seeing a tourist bus tipped over on the other side of the street I was glad to be back in Hanoi. (P.S. I think the passengers were ok).
Going South
Originally I was looking into going to Sapa for a hiking tour as well. In the end the 9 hours train ride each way and the uncertainty of the weather turned me against the idea. Instead, after 2 weeks of cloud and rain, I am following the sun, heading south to Hue to explore the landscape and scenery there. 13 hours on a night train. See you there!
