Our Days in the Vietnam Country
My family traveled to Vietnam last year, and it was our first time to this part of the world. One of the main reasons for choosing Vietnam as a destination was because this country was peaceful and referred as a representative of the South East Asia culture.
Visit of Hanoi
The Hanoi visit was emphasized by a short rickshaw tour through the bustling old quarter streets where most roads specialize in a distinct type of merchandise. That was a popularly loved mode of transportation to see Hanoi, however don't forget to haggle and agree to a price beforehand. Would you like to breathe the Hanoi atmosphere, take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, and traverse the red wooden bridge connecting to a small island with a temple on it? Nearby the lake, you also can visit a bronze statue in the flower garden. After spending an excursion on Ha Long bay, we left the ship on a smaller vessel to head south for Cat Ba Island. Before going swimming on a quiet beach, we trekked throughout the national park and climbed up to the summit to have panoramic views of the island. Coming back to the village, we had lunch served by a 70-year aged-long woman, who taught us some recipes and techniques that go into popular dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. On the way to Hoa Lu, take time to explore Cuc Phuong, a national park. We were pleasantly amazed. The primate center was interesting with lively Langurs. We wished we prepared the camera last night to take nice photographs. A local volunteer who led us to the thousand-year-old tree and accommodation of primitive people loved pointing us the park as much as possible; and all saw his enthusiasm and kindness. The hikes were easy and there was much to see in the jungle in spite of the rain. Afterwards, two remaining temples of the ancient citadel was a must-see.
Lit with multicolored lanterns by night, the streets of the aged-long city of Hoi An were great for leisurely evening strolls. It was also a great experience when biking to a peaceful village, walked around a vegetable garden and did gardening activities together with farmers there. Hue Citadel has a moat and ornate gates guarding a palace, temples, gardens and tombs. Even under the rain! Some aged-long destroyed temples of the Citadel complex have been restored. When visiting the site, strolling was a great way to get a sense of the scale of the place. Tu Dam pagoda - a calm and scared place was also worth paying a visit. It was very crowded with oodles of believers swarming the place who came to pray and escape the noise and stress of daily life. Discover More
Along the Mekong roads
We saw lots of people and activities happening on boats and enjoyed the daily life of this zone. Everyone was very friendly, and welcoming. They prepared for us a dinner of delicious Mekong specialties, remarkably spring roll with ingredients made from pork, egg, rice vermicelli, and vegetable. Chatting with our gracious host gave us the feeling of staying at home. Several of us hung around after dinner, played cards and drank with the guide. The first impression about Saigon was it looked like a noisy and busy town with numerous high buildings and attractive visits. From the Saigon center, we moved to Cu Chi tunnels, played host to barracks, medical facilities, storage rooms, classrooms, even a small movie theater - all underground! Crawling through 30 meters of tunnel was a unique adventure. The trip of Vietnam travel was a mix of everything: from outstanding culture, cuisine to very friendly people!