First up, apologies this has taken so long to get up. It's still not even halfway written but now that atleast part of it's posted I feel like I have some accountability to come back and finish it. So, a work in progress but I'll update and add further photo's and details as time permits.
I flew in to Hanoi on the 28th of August 2011. The plan was to take three months exploring Vietnam and Laos. As it turned out I enjoyed Vietnam so much I didn't end up leaving until nearly four months later. I love this country, its countryside, its people, tradition, food and... well, everything it pretty much has to offer. I love it so much that even though I’m currently back home in Melbourne I’m seriously thinking that one day, in the next year or two maybe to move over and call Vietnam home. Or atleast temporarily.
I’ve tried to break this up as best as I can. Hopefully it reads ok and isn’t too confusing.
Hanoi.
Hanoi is a beautiful place. Admittedly I didn’t get outside of the old quarter as perhaps as much as one would like but I never felt like the time I spent there was wasted or that I didn’t see enough. Sometimes I feel you see more from staying in the one place than rushing off with a checklist of sights to see.
That said speaking of checklists here are some of the things I recommend doing whilst in Hanoi:
Water puppets
Mausoleum
The laneway of the 'old' Hanoi backpackers
The lake
The masoleum where Ho Chi Minh now resides
I saw more Bentley's and Rolls Royces in Vietnam than I do in affluent Melbourne suburbs!
The view of the lake from a wonderful and very hidden local cafe
Perfume Pagoda
Enroute to Perfume Pagoda
Places to stay:
I originally stayed in the Hanoi Backpackers west of the lake. This was not ideal as it was one shower to ten people, the A/C didn’t work and overall it was not the most enjoyable experience. The area west of the lake is certainly a nice place to stay but I do feel there is more to see and do in the more frantic paced area found north of the lake. Here I stayed in the ‘new’ Hanoi Backpackers which is significantly better than the older sister establishment of the same name. Put simply this place is much, much better but it’s also has much more of a party vibe in comparison to the older building. I left after the second night as I was fed up with the English girls bringing home a myriad of men to our dorm room in the early hours of the morning. In a room full of strangers... I mean really? Ugh!
The place I would recommend is the Hotel Advisor. I stayed here for close to one week. It had only just been taken over by a new owner and he was probably one of the most helpful people I met in Vietnam. So much so that he even rode with me all the way to the train station to ensure I made my train to Sapa and then helped to ensure my bike was loaded on to the train. He filled out the paperwork for me, wished me luck and waved me off. When I told him I needed a bike lock he was even kind enough to go out during the day to get me one. Would have saved me a good half a day trying to find a place to buy one! I seriously recommend this place but I would suggest you negotiate on the price. I ended up getting a twin room down from $22US to $12US. Sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away. I WAS the first person to stay at the Hotel Advisor under the new management/owner so I’m sure they were desperate to have someone in but still do negotiate as the first price doesn’t have to be the last price.
My 'Oscar'. '96 Honda Win 100cc. So many headaches.... but so many good times. I had a real love hate relationship with this thing
Hanoi - Sapa.
I opted to take the train from Hanoi rather than ride the 10+ hour ride on my first day into the trip. Research on other travel forums seemed to recommend this idea (as did Lonely Planet) so it was the route I opted for. Something to keep in mind that ALL bikes on the train MUST have an empty fuel tank. If you go the train station with a full tank (as I did) your tank will be drained. Keep that in mind and donate extra fuel to someone who you think who deserves it before you get to the station! Also, wear your winter woollies as the train cabins tend to be on the icy side once they get moving and that A/C starts pumping. I opted for a 250D soft sleeper carriage. The motorbike cost roughly the same to transport.
With a rather sleepless night on a rather cold and bumpy train from Hanoi to Lao Cao I arose to rain. ...and lots of it. My bike, a ’96 110cc Honda Win painted in black with a red star on the tank and whom I had affectionally named ‘Oscar’ was pushed to the nearest petrol station, filled up and with no idea where to go I picked a tour bus that had Sapa written on it and followed it out of town. Once on the main road I opened up the bike (all 110cc of wheezy fury) and rode it into Sapa. This road is a brilliant one and I wish had it not been raining I could have taken the time to pull over more often and enjoy the sights. Fantastic mountain views and lots of hilltribe villages dotting the roadside. The trip from Lao Cao to Sapa would have taken just over an hour.
Sapa:
Sapa was cold and wet. I was here for nearly two weeks and not so much because I liked it THAT much but because so early into my trip I was hesitant at riding into the pouring rain. It rained a LOT but I still got a great grasp of the place. There are some great little restaurants around and there’s certainly a lot to see.
I would recommend going for the short walk from the centre of town to Cat Cat village. The overall walk is a loop and I would still recommend a good half day for it. Cat Cat village is very much a tourist village and without no doubt operational as a ‘real’ village it’s clear to see the village caters very much to the tourist crowd. That said, it’s deserving of visiting and the walk there and the town itself are certainly worth the time. There’s also a waterfall to check out on the circuit and if you’re tired and don’t want to take the walk back there will be plenty of moto riders offering to ride you up the hill and back into town. Haggle hard with these guys. Even if you have to walk away they will come after you and you’ll probably get the cost down to a dollar or two. The trick is to not want the lift back!
The real ‘hit’ of Sapa to me was the Tram Ton pass which is enroute to Lai Chau. I actually did a day trip of this rather than potentially rush it as I left Sapa. Many consider the Tram Ton pass to be one of the greatest roads (for views) in Vietnam and I’m thankful I took the gamble and rode off into the grey sky. Fortunately the weather held out for the first few hours and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a countryside so beautiful. Stunning and I know that even with my photography skills (I actually have a BA in photography!) I could not even I could give those mountains justice. I really need to get around to sorting through my SLR photo’s as these are from my ‘point and shoot’.
Enroute to the Tram Ton pass you’ll pass the massive Thac Bac (silver waterfall) which is certainly worth the time to stop and marvel. It’s a big one!
Just before you approach the actual pass there’s a building (or a series of small shacks behind the main one) as you go uphill on your left. Pull in there and there’s a nice little walk (budget an hour or so for the round trip) to see the ‘Love waterfall’. Sadly I left my camera on the bike for this one but it was probably the nicest waterfall I saw in Vietnam!
Tram Ton Pass
On the way to check out the local village with Sue and helpers
Rice paddy views to the village
House stays. I spent the day in Lao Chai village (not overnight). I didn’t go with a tour group and I recommend that others do the same as that way the money doesn’t end up in the hands of the greedy tour operators but instead those locals (usually the one) who show you around their own village. Grab a coffee in the centre of town and you’ll no doubt be swarmed by Hmong and Red Dzao wanting you to buy their wares. A lot will offer to show you their village and although out of some peoples comfort zones it’s something worth doing. I had a blast and with the help of ‘Sue’, a little old Hmong lady I got to see the way she lived. It’s certainly a big hike just to the village though and puts into perspective the work the local Hmong/Dzao women put in just to get into town to sell their wares... and that’s before they sell anything! In Vietnam it is polite to feed your guests so that there is food left over in their plate once the guest has had their feed. In western cultures it is polite to eat everything on the plate! So, adopt the way of Vietnam here as you’ll find what you don’t eat the family will. Eat enough to be polite but don’t eat them out of house and home... which is easier said than done as although simple the food was delicious! The fare for this very ‘casual’ but rewarding ‘tour’ was up to me and I was told to pay what I thought it was worth. I paid 300k reasoning that this was about the same as a more organized tour. She accepted the fare humbly and after I walked off I shot a look backwards to find she was holding hands with a close friend and dancing in the street. 300k or $15US is nothing to me but I probably made her week.
I stayed at the Mimosa Hotel (was previously called Sapa Green Tree Hotel) 21 Tue Tinh Str, Sapa. The guy here is a real character and loves his music. If you can pick up a guitar and play a note you’ll be a massive hit! I paid $7 for a large twin room that I shared with another aussie guy I met on the road. Super cheap, clean with AMAZING views. On a clear morning I could see Fansipan (Vietnams tallest mountain) from any window. No lift though so have fun with the stairs but it’s right next door to the market so the location is brilliant.
The kitchen
I flew in to Hanoi on the 28th of August 2011. The plan was to take three months exploring Vietnam and Laos. As it turned out I enjoyed Vietnam so much I didn't end up leaving until nearly four months later. I love this country, its countryside, its people, tradition, food and... well, everything it pretty much has to offer. I love it so much that even though I’m currently back home in Melbourne I’m seriously thinking that one day, in the next year or two maybe to move over and call Vietnam home. Or atleast temporarily.
I’ve tried to break this up as best as I can. Hopefully it reads ok and isn’t too confusing.
Hanoi.
Hanoi is a beautiful place. Admittedly I didn’t get outside of the old quarter as perhaps as much as one would like but I never felt like the time I spent there was wasted or that I didn’t see enough. Sometimes I feel you see more from staying in the one place than rushing off with a checklist of sights to see.
That said speaking of checklists here are some of the things I recommend doing whilst in Hanoi:
Water puppets
Mausoleum
The laneway of the 'old' Hanoi backpackers
The lake
The masoleum where Ho Chi Minh now resides
I saw more Bentley's and Rolls Royces in Vietnam than I do in affluent Melbourne suburbs!
The view of the lake from a wonderful and very hidden local cafe
Perfume Pagoda
Enroute to Perfume Pagoda
Places to stay:
I originally stayed in the Hanoi Backpackers west of the lake. This was not ideal as it was one shower to ten people, the A/C didn’t work and overall it was not the most enjoyable experience. The area west of the lake is certainly a nice place to stay but I do feel there is more to see and do in the more frantic paced area found north of the lake. Here I stayed in the ‘new’ Hanoi Backpackers which is significantly better than the older sister establishment of the same name. Put simply this place is much, much better but it’s also has much more of a party vibe in comparison to the older building. I left after the second night as I was fed up with the English girls bringing home a myriad of men to our dorm room in the early hours of the morning. In a room full of strangers... I mean really? Ugh!
The place I would recommend is the Hotel Advisor. I stayed here for close to one week. It had only just been taken over by a new owner and he was probably one of the most helpful people I met in Vietnam. So much so that he even rode with me all the way to the train station to ensure I made my train to Sapa and then helped to ensure my bike was loaded on to the train. He filled out the paperwork for me, wished me luck and waved me off. When I told him I needed a bike lock he was even kind enough to go out during the day to get me one. Would have saved me a good half a day trying to find a place to buy one! I seriously recommend this place but I would suggest you negotiate on the price. I ended up getting a twin room down from $22US to $12US. Sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away. I WAS the first person to stay at the Hotel Advisor under the new management/owner so I’m sure they were desperate to have someone in but still do negotiate as the first price doesn’t have to be the last price.
My 'Oscar'. '96 Honda Win 100cc. So many headaches.... but so many good times. I had a real love hate relationship with this thing
Hanoi - Sapa.
I opted to take the train from Hanoi rather than ride the 10+ hour ride on my first day into the trip. Research on other travel forums seemed to recommend this idea (as did Lonely Planet) so it was the route I opted for. Something to keep in mind that ALL bikes on the train MUST have an empty fuel tank. If you go the train station with a full tank (as I did) your tank will be drained. Keep that in mind and donate extra fuel to someone who you think who deserves it before you get to the station! Also, wear your winter woollies as the train cabins tend to be on the icy side once they get moving and that A/C starts pumping. I opted for a 250D soft sleeper carriage. The motorbike cost roughly the same to transport.
With a rather sleepless night on a rather cold and bumpy train from Hanoi to Lao Cao I arose to rain. ...and lots of it. My bike, a ’96 110cc Honda Win painted in black with a red star on the tank and whom I had affectionally named ‘Oscar’ was pushed to the nearest petrol station, filled up and with no idea where to go I picked a tour bus that had Sapa written on it and followed it out of town. Once on the main road I opened up the bike (all 110cc of wheezy fury) and rode it into Sapa. This road is a brilliant one and I wish had it not been raining I could have taken the time to pull over more often and enjoy the sights. Fantastic mountain views and lots of hilltribe villages dotting the roadside. The trip from Lao Cao to Sapa would have taken just over an hour.
Sapa:
Sapa was cold and wet. I was here for nearly two weeks and not so much because I liked it THAT much but because so early into my trip I was hesitant at riding into the pouring rain. It rained a LOT but I still got a great grasp of the place. There are some great little restaurants around and there’s certainly a lot to see.
I would recommend going for the short walk from the centre of town to Cat Cat village. The overall walk is a loop and I would still recommend a good half day for it. Cat Cat village is very much a tourist village and without no doubt operational as a ‘real’ village it’s clear to see the village caters very much to the tourist crowd. That said, it’s deserving of visiting and the walk there and the town itself are certainly worth the time. There’s also a waterfall to check out on the circuit and if you’re tired and don’t want to take the walk back there will be plenty of moto riders offering to ride you up the hill and back into town. Haggle hard with these guys. Even if you have to walk away they will come after you and you’ll probably get the cost down to a dollar or two. The trick is to not want the lift back!
The real ‘hit’ of Sapa to me was the Tram Ton pass which is enroute to Lai Chau. I actually did a day trip of this rather than potentially rush it as I left Sapa. Many consider the Tram Ton pass to be one of the greatest roads (for views) in Vietnam and I’m thankful I took the gamble and rode off into the grey sky. Fortunately the weather held out for the first few hours and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a countryside so beautiful. Stunning and I know that even with my photography skills (I actually have a BA in photography!) I could not even I could give those mountains justice. I really need to get around to sorting through my SLR photo’s as these are from my ‘point and shoot’.
Enroute to the Tram Ton pass you’ll pass the massive Thac Bac (silver waterfall) which is certainly worth the time to stop and marvel. It’s a big one!
Just before you approach the actual pass there’s a building (or a series of small shacks behind the main one) as you go uphill on your left. Pull in there and there’s a nice little walk (budget an hour or so for the round trip) to see the ‘Love waterfall’. Sadly I left my camera on the bike for this one but it was probably the nicest waterfall I saw in Vietnam!
Tram Ton Pass
On the way to check out the local village with Sue and helpers
Rice paddy views to the village
House stays. I spent the day in Lao Chai village (not overnight). I didn’t go with a tour group and I recommend that others do the same as that way the money doesn’t end up in the hands of the greedy tour operators but instead those locals (usually the one) who show you around their own village. Grab a coffee in the centre of town and you’ll no doubt be swarmed by Hmong and Red Dzao wanting you to buy their wares. A lot will offer to show you their village and although out of some peoples comfort zones it’s something worth doing. I had a blast and with the help of ‘Sue’, a little old Hmong lady I got to see the way she lived. It’s certainly a big hike just to the village though and puts into perspective the work the local Hmong/Dzao women put in just to get into town to sell their wares... and that’s before they sell anything! In Vietnam it is polite to feed your guests so that there is food left over in their plate once the guest has had their feed. In western cultures it is polite to eat everything on the plate! So, adopt the way of Vietnam here as you’ll find what you don’t eat the family will. Eat enough to be polite but don’t eat them out of house and home... which is easier said than done as although simple the food was delicious! The fare for this very ‘casual’ but rewarding ‘tour’ was up to me and I was told to pay what I thought it was worth. I paid 300k reasoning that this was about the same as a more organized tour. She accepted the fare humbly and after I walked off I shot a look backwards to find she was holding hands with a close friend and dancing in the street. 300k or $15US is nothing to me but I probably made her week.
I stayed at the Mimosa Hotel (was previously called Sapa Green Tree Hotel) 21 Tue Tinh Str, Sapa. The guy here is a real character and loves his music. If you can pick up a guitar and play a note you’ll be a massive hit! I paid $7 for a large twin room that I shared with another aussie guy I met on the road. Super cheap, clean with AMAZING views. On a clear morning I could see Fansipan (Vietnams tallest mountain) from any window. No lift though so have fun with the stairs but it’s right next door to the market so the location is brilliant.
The kitchen
Unfortunately that's why my Nha Trang thread was never updated with photo's. Just means I'll need another trip to reshoot my trip! ....although this time on a bigger, newer and better bike. 