After a few days exploring Hanoi and Halong Bay, it was time to continue our north-to-south journey through Vietnam. We were planning on visiting the area known as “Halong Bay inland”, but instead of joining a day tour from Hanoi, we wanted to do it independently. So we headed to the Giap Bat bus station and got on the first public bus to Ninh Binh. Continue reading “The beautiful landscapes of Tam Coc and Trang An”
While in Hanoi, we did some research on Halong Bay cruises, and ended up choosing the 3-day/2-night Monkey Island tour. There are a million operators online and in every street of the Old Quarter, and some are dirt cheap… but we read a lot of negative reviews for the budget options (food quality and quantity, group size, crappy boats, number of stops, etc.), and decided we could splurge a bit for one of the highlights of our trip. Continue reading “A 3-day cruise in Halong Bay, Vietnam’s natural wonder”
Hanoi is not the most welcoming city in the world, one really has to try to get to like it. On our first evening, we ventured to explore the Old Quarter, where our hotel was located. The narrow streets were taken over by people, motorbikes and shops, organized by trades (e.g. we were in the toys street). Between the heat and humidity and the masses of tourists, walking around felt exhausting, so we made our way to Hoan Kiem Lake (where the legend claims a giant turtle stole the king’s sword) and checked out Ngoc Son Temple. As we walked back toward the Old Quarter, taking a detour west to see less touristy areas, a brutal storm broke out. Luckily, before being completely soaked, we found the mall Hang Da, with lots of handicraft shops to keep us entertained until the skies cleared. And as we walked back through the night market, and to the nightlife/pedestrian-friendly area around Ta Hien, we were compensated by one of the most gorgeous sunsets ever. And then by some yummy local specialties – spring rolls, pho and bun cha are must tries.
Continue reading “What to see in Hanoi, the hectic capital of Vietnam”
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The sleeper bus from Phonsavan (Plain of Jars) arrived in Vientiane early in the morning. We didn’t have any particular interest in visiting Laos’ capital, but logistically it made sense; we would get our Vietnam visa and fly to Hanoi from here instead of backtracking to Luang Prabang. Continue reading “Nothing much to see in Vientiane, Laos’ capital”
The Plain of Jars is one of the most bizarre places to visit in Asia, and that’s saying a lot. It’s basically a plateau covered with thousands of megalithic jars, grouped in several “sites”, numbered 1-90. The function of this stones is unclear, with theories ranging from them being burial elements (containers to decompose corpses before burying them), to rainwater collectors for caravan travelers, to leftovers from a royal party. Continue reading “Riding around the enigmatic Plain of Jars”
After spending a full day walking around the historic town of Luang Prabang under a brutal sun, we decided to head to the Kuang Si waterfalls. We again woke up before sunrise to witness the alms ceremony, and then walked around the fresh produce market on the west side of the center. Continue reading “Kuang Si waterfalls, a refreshing day trip from Luang Prabang”
Luang Prabang is Laos’ top destination for a reason. With numerous Buddhist monasteries, a lively ceremony of alms every morning, well-preserved colonial architecture and river walks, it is definitely one of the most charming cities in the world. Unfortunately, it also feels like one of the most touristy.
Continue reading “Walking around Luang Prabang, the heart of Laos”
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At the time of this trip, crossing Myanmar borders overland remains quite challenging. Thus, the independent, budget traveler wishing to combine this country with Laos must cross through a piece of Thailand, following these steps:
Continue reading “How to cross from Myanmar to Laos overland”
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