Vibrant Vietnam: A Week in Paradise

From losing my luggage at the airport to enduring one of the scariest overnight bus rides ever, my Vietnam trip this November was riddled with many unexpected experiences. Yet, there were moments that made it a once-in-a-lifetime trip for me. It was a journey worth remembering and full of stories worth telling. Plus, being my birthday month, this trip was also a pre-b'day gift for myself.

My flight to Vietnam was also my first solo international flight. I boarded a flight from Kolkata to Bangkok and then a connecting flight from Bangkok to Hanoi. What I didn't expect was how the Bangkok airport would eventually goof up and lose my luggage. So, my Vietnam trip began on a not-so-sweet note, as I was busy filling in details to claim my luggage at the lost-and-found section once I landed in Hanoi. I was told I would get my luggage back by the end of the day.

Day 1

Day 1 in Vietnam began with a trip to a one-of-a-kind war museum in Hanoi, also known as the Hanoi Hilton, which once held prisoners of French colonists and, later, US POWs of the Vietnam War.

Day 1 also saw us exploring the iconic train street in Hanoi. Though only a handful of shops were open (as opposed to the bustling markets that we see in images online), I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and also had a cup of the traditional Vietnamese egg coffee, which was unexpectedly good!

After the water puppet show, we had a sumptuous dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant right next to the Hoan Kiem Lake. I treated myself to some Vietnamese coffee (too bitter for my taste), shopped for souvenirs, and walked around the bustling streets of Hanoi. My lost luggage was delivered to our hotel at 10:30 at night, much to my joy and surprise (and thanks to the countless follow-ups by our trip leader, Suhas, and our local guide, Mr. Thang)!

Day 2

Day 2 began with a brisk walk around the Hoan Kiem lake and a quick breakfast, followed by a visit to a pearl factory/workshop, where we learnt how pearls are extracted and made into jewellery and accessories.

The highlight of Day 2 was Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO world heritage site. The beauty of this place cannot be explained in words or mere photos. One has to be there to experience this breathtaking wonder in its entirety. We were on a day-long cruise on the bay and visited some of the most popular sites around it.

Day 2 also saw us visit the Sung Sot caves and enjoy a boat ride to one of the many limestone caves of Ha Long Bay. This was followed by a visit to the Ti Top beach and a sumptuous lunch on the cruise. We ended the day with a beautiful sunset!

By the end of day 2, we reached our cute little resort in Tam Coc. Day 3 began with a recce of the lush green rice fields surrounding the resort. The rooms of the resort had bamboo furniture and open-air bath areas, for those environment lovers who love being amid nature.

Day 3

The first stop on day 3 was a local monastery in Ninh Binh. The sampan boat ride, which was the next on our itinerary, was a more relaxing deal! 🤪 Just sit back and chill, while the boatwomen use their legs to move the boats. Be careful while getting on and off the boats though, as one of our teammates fell into the water while getting off and got drenched (though she got away without any injuries).

The 500-step climb leading to the Hang Mua peak (or the Dragon mountain) was the toughest part of the Vietnam trip. What's worse is that beyond a point (a few minutes away from the peak), there are no steps but just rocks and you need to be really good with your trek skills to climb up and click pics with the dragon that adorns the peak.

Day 3 ended with a visit to the Bai Dinh pagoda, which is the largest in Vietnam. By the end of the day, we were super-exhausted with all the walking!

The 14-hr overnight bus journey from Ninh Binh to Da Nang clearly qualifies as one of the shittiest bus rides I have ever had. What was supposed to be an adventurous ride, turned out to be a horror show. We were packed liked sardines in the bus, which had 3 columns/lines of seats and a narrow space between each column to get to the seats. The staff were excessively rude and forced us to occupy the seats at the back (no seat numbers were allotted to us). They asked us to take our shoes off and to carry them. Plus, with all our hand luggage, there was hardly any leg space. So much so, that we ended up naming the bus "the coffin bus". ⚰️

Moreover, my seat was right next to the bus toilet, which made things worse. After a while, the staff filled in the narrow space between the seats with extra luggage, making it impossible for people in front to get to the toilet. 🤪😕 It couldn't get crazier than this. We were thankful that, at least, the bus made it to Da Nang at the scheduled time, without any delay. Additionally, if you're foul-mouthing the Indian railways for their unprofessionalism, I think you need to experience this ride once to feel how disgusting things can get on public transport.

One word of advice: avoid this 3-column bus at any cost, if you're visiting Vietnam. There are better buses, which will cost you slightly more but will be worth the money (with enough leg space and curtains for privacy). Saving money is good, but as long as it doesn't cost you your peace of mind or comfort.

Day 4

All our woes were gone after a cup of smoking hot coffee once we reached Da Nang, and we soon headed to Hoi An. By the time we checked in to our pretty little homestay in Hoi An, which was supposed to be our home for the next 3 days, we were completely over our horrific bus ride. 🤪😊 We also had a few cute little doggos welcoming us!

Hoi An has clearly been a dream destination for me! My first night in the city was spent casually strolling along the Thu Bon river and posing in front of the lantern markets.

The bustling night markets, the cacophony of tourists, and the live music and open-air performances created a dream-like ambience!

Had the quintessential Vietnamese dish "Pho" at a local restaurant and shopped for souvenirs, before calling it a day!

Day 5

Day 5 began with a quick breakfast at our homestay. We then headed to the Marble mountains, but not before checking out a local marble store replete with exquisite marble furniture and home decor! The "Marble Mountains" proved to be a visual treat.

We then headed to the most popular attraction in Da Nang: Ba Na hills, an entertainment centre of sorts, replete with attractions such as the Golden (Hands) bridge, Fantasy Park, a flower garden, and a vineyard. The weather changed drastically as we made our way to the top, on the cable car (the longest in the world). The beauty of the place increased 10 times over because of the drizzly and foggy weather! We took our rain jackets and umbrellas out but were determined to enjoy every bit of this dreamland and couldn't stop clicking pics! Resembling a French town (with the cable car stops bearing French names), this place is known as the "mini Europe of Da Nang".

The evening of day 5 was spent experimenting with food and bargaining with shopkeepers at the Hoi An market.

Day 6

I opted to get some rest in the first half of Day 6, while some of us went for a basket boat ride at Coco forest. We went on a heritage walk around the Old Town of Hoi An in the evening! We saw the food markets, an old Chinese temple, the Japanese bridge and temple, and a few old heritage houses.

We had a sumptuous dinner at the Morning Glory Signature restaurant and headed for one last round of bargaining and shopping at the Hoi An markets.

My trip to this unexplored paradise of sorts ended on a sweet note, and I thus officially put an end to my COVID woes for good! Here's to more such trips in the near future!

Hotel/Stay Recommendations:

* Hotel Bonsella (a cute little minimalist hotel in Hanoi with good hospitality and decent food)

* Tam Coc Rice Field Resorts (a beautiful eco-friendly resort in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh)

* Bonsai Villa (a serene homestay in Hoi An, replete with a pool, friendly people, and a bunch of adorable dogs for company)

Restaurant/Eatery Recommendations:

* The countless eateries (both affordable and expensive ones) near the Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi

* Madam Kieu and Morning Glory Signature in Hoi An (for some authentic Vietnamese cuisine and live music)

* Hong Phuc 2 in Hoi An (if you like peace and quiet for some chit-chat with friends)

* Thon Da Am in Hoi An (That rare exclusively veg eatery, where you can even get veg Pho)

* Aloha Restaurant near the Japanese Bridge in Hoi An (for some coconut coffee and casual chit-chat with friends)

* The roadside eateries in Hoi An, for some affordable food experiments, such as banana pancakes, banh mi, smoke ice-cream etc.