Cambodia & Vietnam Trip Report
Mar 15th, 2019, 08:08 AM
#21
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March 14th - Hoi An, we are here for four days. Left Saigon for the airport about 9AM. Elizabeth had her second round of IVs yesterday and the Doc has signed off, but she’s still not feeling great, I am better and try to do as much damage to the Rex breakfast buffet as I can as I haven’t taken advantage of it for two days. ( this is before I read Crellston’s latest post, LOL). Cab gets us there in about a half hour, $7. Riding any vehicle here is interesting. Everyone is constantly hanking, if you haven’t been to Asia you will notice, it is a constant conversation between the multitude of vehicles. It’s not done in anger like in the US, it’s a strange Morse code saying I’m behind you, I’m passing you, I’m going to hit you! It really is unendingly and then lane changes are hilarious. Constant!
Flew Vietnam Airlines, just discovered VietJet, VA was fine. 50minute flight. Hotel sends a guy to pick us up. Guy is late picking us up, first time that has happened. He shows up though and proceeds to make up for being late by driving like a stunt driver for the French Connection.
The beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An is home to every giant corporate hotel chain known to man kind and they are building more. It is super modern, so built up that it is a shock, even I think coming from Saigon. It will be like Miami Beach, where you won’t know there is a beach. Then you hit the marble statue stores. I’m not talking dashboard Jesus statues I’m talking 10 foot tall white Buddhas, Dragons, Pagodas, 1000’s of statues that must come from the Marble mountains
Finally Hoi An, only about 30 minutes away based on how Smokey and the Bandit drove. He drops us off at Ancient House Resort and Spa. I’m excited because there is an infinity pool where you can see water buffaloes from the pool. We get checked in, I walk around looking for the infinity pool. No infinity pool, no buffalo. Well I thought I booked us at Ancient House Village Resort and Spa. I check my confirmation, sure enough, my mistake, but it is a lovely room and the wife loves it.
All’s well. More about Hoi An tomorrow.
Flew Vietnam Airlines, just discovered VietJet, VA was fine. 50minute flight. Hotel sends a guy to pick us up. Guy is late picking us up, first time that has happened. He shows up though and proceeds to make up for being late by driving like a stunt driver for the French Connection.
The beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An is home to every giant corporate hotel chain known to man kind and they are building more. It is super modern, so built up that it is a shock, even I think coming from Saigon. It will be like Miami Beach, where you won’t know there is a beach. Then you hit the marble statue stores. I’m not talking dashboard Jesus statues I’m talking 10 foot tall white Buddhas, Dragons, Pagodas, 1000’s of statues that must come from the Marble mountains
Finally Hoi An, only about 30 minutes away based on how Smokey and the Bandit drove. He drops us off at Ancient House Resort and Spa. I’m excited because there is an infinity pool where you can see water buffaloes from the pool. We get checked in, I walk around looking for the infinity pool. No infinity pool, no buffalo. Well I thought I booked us at Ancient House Village Resort and Spa. I check my confirmation, sure enough, my mistake, but it is a lovely room and the wife loves it.
All’s well. More about Hoi An tomorrow.
Mar 15th, 2019, 08:35 AM
#22
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March 14th - Hoi An, we are here for four days. Left Saigon for the airport about 9AM. Elizabeth had her second round of IVs yesterday and the Doc has signed off, but she’s still not feeling great, I am better and try to do as much damage to the Rex breakfast buffet as I can as I haven’t taken advantage of it for two days. ( this is before I read Crellston’s latest post, LOL). Cab gets us there in about a half hour, $7. Riding any vehicle here is interesting. Everyone is constantly honking, if you haven’t been to Asia you will notice, it is a constant conversation between the multitude of vehicles. It’s not done in anger like in the US, it’s a strange Morse code saying I’m behind you, I’m passing you, I’m going to hit you! It really is unendingly and then lane changes are hilarious. Constant!
Flew Vietnam Airlines, just discovered VietJet, VA was fine. 50minute flight. Hotel sends a guy to pick us up. Guy is late picking us up, first time that has happened. He shows up though and proceeds to make up for being late by driving like a stunt driver for the French Connection.
The beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An is home to every giant corporate hotel chain known to man kind and they are building more. It is super modern, so built up that it is a shock, even I think coming from Saigon. It will be like Miami Beach, where you won’t know there is a beach. Then you hit the marble statue stores. I’m not talking dashboard Jesus statues I’m talking 10 foot tall white Buddhas, Dragons, Pagodas, 1000’s of statues that must come from the Marble mountains
Finally Hoi An, only about 30 minutes away based on how Smokey and the Bandit drove. He drops us off at Ancient House Resort and Spa. I’m excited because there is an infinity pool where you can see water buffaloes from the pool. We get checked in, I walk around looking for the infinity pool. No infinity pool, no buffalo. Well I thought I booked us at Ancient House Village Resort and Spa. I check my confirmation, sure enough, my mistake, but it is a lovely room and the wife loves it.
All’s well. More about Hoi An tomorrow.
Flew Vietnam Airlines, just discovered VietJet, VA was fine. 50minute flight. Hotel sends a guy to pick us up. Guy is late picking us up, first time that has happened. He shows up though and proceeds to make up for being late by driving like a stunt driver for the French Connection.
The beach strip between Da Nang and Hoi An is home to every giant corporate hotel chain known to man kind and they are building more. It is super modern, so built up that it is a shock, even I think coming from Saigon. It will be like Miami Beach, where you won’t know there is a beach. Then you hit the marble statue stores. I’m not talking dashboard Jesus statues I’m talking 10 foot tall white Buddhas, Dragons, Pagodas, 1000’s of statues that must come from the Marble mountains
Finally Hoi An, only about 30 minutes away based on how Smokey and the Bandit drove. He drops us off at Ancient House Resort and Spa. I’m excited because there is an infinity pool where you can see water buffaloes from the pool. We get checked in, I walk around looking for the infinity pool. No infinity pool, no buffalo. Well I thought I booked us at Ancient House Village Resort and Spa. I check my confirmation, sure enough, my mistake, but it is a lovely room and the wife loves it.
All’s well. More about Hoi An tomorrow.
Mar 16th, 2019, 03:06 AM
#23
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Hoi An - March 15th - March 17th
There is a lot of talk about Hoi An on this forum. Is it a tourist trap? Oh God yes! Dozens of stores selling the same product, hundreds of people all trying to get pics of the Japanese Bridge. But is it authentic? My vote is yes. Given that there are what, four Disneyland’s now with some kid in liederhosen saying his name is Horst and he’s actually Todd from Orlando, then yes, Hoi An is authentic. The millions of people who buy t-shirts and banana pancakes, allow the fantastic temples and other historic buildings to remain open. You can find history here and it is pretty amazing in a very interesting setting in an un-authentic world. Don’t like tourists? Bicycle through here around eight in the morning and it is very quiet. We have really enjoyed it, but there are other things to do here.
Took. the hotel shuttle to An Bang beach and chilled for most of the day on a really clean but busy beach, but after Hoi-an last night, it was quite relaxing. Started the morning riding bikes through the rice fields. Finally saw my water buffalos, lot’s of them actually. They city is clean, great places to eat and yes it’s a tourist trap, but then so is the Corn Palace in South Dakota. No Starbucks here, not sure if there is one yet at the Corn Palace?
One more day in Hoi An then off to Hue.
There is a lot of talk about Hoi An on this forum. Is it a tourist trap? Oh God yes! Dozens of stores selling the same product, hundreds of people all trying to get pics of the Japanese Bridge. But is it authentic? My vote is yes. Given that there are what, four Disneyland’s now with some kid in liederhosen saying his name is Horst and he’s actually Todd from Orlando, then yes, Hoi An is authentic. The millions of people who buy t-shirts and banana pancakes, allow the fantastic temples and other historic buildings to remain open. You can find history here and it is pretty amazing in a very interesting setting in an un-authentic world. Don’t like tourists? Bicycle through here around eight in the morning and it is very quiet. We have really enjoyed it, but there are other things to do here.
Took. the hotel shuttle to An Bang beach and chilled for most of the day on a really clean but busy beach, but after Hoi-an last night, it was quite relaxing. Started the morning riding bikes through the rice fields. Finally saw my water buffalos, lot’s of them actually. They city is clean, great places to eat and yes it’s a tourist trap, but then so is the Corn Palace in South Dakota. No Starbucks here, not sure if there is one yet at the Corn Palace?
One more day in Hoi An then off to Hue.
Mar 19th, 2019, 03:31 AM
#24
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March 18th - Trip to Hue. Took my early morning bike ride through the rice fields out toward the beach and back to the hotel. Driver picked us up at 10AM. Booked the driver through our hotel in Hue, Scarlett Boutique Hotel. Did a little checking around, the going rate for a private car is about $60- $65. It is advertised as a drive with stops at Marble Mountain, My Khe Beach, Hai Van Pass and Lap An Lagoon. Driver announces once in the car that it is 3 hours w/o stops or 4 with stops. It’s pretty evident he is pushing the no stop trip! Marble Mountain, too expensive you can see pagodas in Hue for free! He does stop long enough for me to get a couple of shots of the e
levator and some statues. No stop at the beach. I make the mistake of asking where China Beeac is and we get a brief lecture about how Vietnam hates China. Stop at the top of Hai Van pass, It is a crazy place. Traffic stops, tons of buses and trucks and motos! He does stop at Lap An for photos. Long of the short we end up in Hue in 3 hrs.
We are staying at Scarlett Boutique. Most of the places I have mentioned are not endorsements but this place is great. Small, compact rooms, we walked in and felt like we are in Paris. Went out for a walk around the neighborhood, a little late lunch and back for a nap. We are on the South Side of the river on Ben Nighe. This is a great place to stay, easy walking to food and drink. Longer to the Citadel. Taking a city tour tomorrow.
levator and some statues. No stop at the beach. I make the mistake of asking where China Beeac is and we get a brief lecture about how Vietnam hates China. Stop at the top of Hai Van pass, It is a crazy place. Traffic stops, tons of buses and trucks and motos! He does stop at Lap An for photos. Long of the short we end up in Hue in 3 hrs.
We are staying at Scarlett Boutique. Most of the places I have mentioned are not endorsements but this place is great. Small, compact rooms, we walked in and felt like we are in Paris. Went out for a walk around the neighborhood, a little late lunch and back for a nap. We are on the South Side of the river on Ben Nighe. This is a great place to stay, easy walking to food and drink. Longer to the Citadel. Taking a city tour tomorrow.
Mar 19th, 2019, 04:15 AM
#25
I'm thoroughly enjoying your trip report and writing style! I hope both you and your wife are feeling good by now!
Vietnam is high on my "list" and find your experiences very helpful to think about a visit.
Vietnam is high on my "list" and find your experiences very helpful to think about a visit.
Mar 21st, 2019, 01:45 AM
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March 19th Today we took a Hue city tour. We’ve taken a few of these tours before, one to Chiang Rai a few years ago that shoved 16 people into a van and stopped at a lot of tourists places. This one will have a pagoda, two tombs, the Citadel and river boat trip plus lunch. All in all it wasn’t bad, I will have to do the Citadel tomorrow because we won’t have enough time there for me. Minh Mang’s Tomb has great grounds, very peaceful. Khai Dinh’s is over the top. There is historical talk that he was gay, and I think I saw a carving of Judy Garland in his tomb. It really is spectacular. The Citadel is very interesting to me. My wife says I love bricks and there really are some great bricks. The tour goes from 8AM until 4:30PM, our guide Danny actually went to school for tourism and does a good job. Had dinner tonite at La Carambole and it was very good. We’ve stayed pretty much in our quarter near Ben Nighe street and the river and there are an amazing amount of white people. This must be where a lot of people on tour stay. Hue is a really nice city with a great park along the river front. If you are planning a Vietnam tour, I think it’s definitely worth 3 - 4 days.
Mar 21st, 2019, 12:07 PM
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Great stuff tdiddy! Sitting here trying to decide where to go when we resume our travels in the autumn - Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Central America ??? Reading your post has made me realise how much we have missed Vietnam.
Do try to pay a visit to Lac Thien, close to the citadel. The best Ban Xeo and the coldest beer in Vietnam.
Do try to pay a visit to Lac Thien, close to the citadel. The best Ban Xeo and the coldest beer in Vietnam.
Mar 23rd, 2019, 04:40 PM
#29
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March 20th - back to the Citadel for me. I can’t get enough of it. Walk to the Citadel, cross the bridge over the Perfume River in the morning and then through this small shaded street next to the moat across from the Citadel wall. This is what I love about traveling, seeing a city wake up. I don’t know if I’m repeating myself but everything is bigger than you expect, it has all stretched out from whatever used to be the city center to miles of shops and houses and communities. Hue, is no different in that regard.
Ran into one of my tour buddies from yesterday, she needs more Citadel also! After about 3 hours, I’m done. We have lunch at a local place called Hanh, great lunch, $4. After lunch we visit Te Hieu pagoda where Thich Nat Hanh, (wrong spelling) is. Walk around the streets at night and then pack for Hanoi. I’ve really enjoyed Hue. Our hotel staff are the best has have most of the staff been. A little stuffy at Rex, but that could be expected, big hotel, big city. Leaving early for Hanoi.
Ran into one of my tour buddies from yesterday, she needs more Citadel also! After about 3 hours, I’m done. We have lunch at a local place called Hanh, great lunch, $4. After lunch we visit Te Hieu pagoda where Thich Nat Hanh, (wrong spelling) is. Walk around the streets at night and then pack for Hanoi. I’ve really enjoyed Hue. Our hotel staff are the best has have most of the staff been. A little stuffy at Rex, but that could be expected, big hotel, big city. Leaving early for Hanoi.
Mar 23rd, 2019, 05:04 PM
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March 21st - On to Hanoi. We are told that the airport in Hue was built by the Americans during the war. It’s only used for in country flights. We run into our 4th or 5th Gate 1 tour. I only mention this because we took a Gate1 tour a few years ago and we are so glad we did this trip by ourselves. No negative comment about Gate 1 but independence is very rewarding in Vietnam. Quick flight. We don’t see any town when we land. There has been a haze over the country for the last few weeks. Hoi An, Hue and now Hanoi all have it. We’ve tried to ask about it, but no one gets what we are asking! We have a great driver on the way to the airport in Hue, which is why the landing in Hanoi is so strange. Our guy is there with our name, grabs bags, runs for the car. Loads us up, I say Hello...and nothing, not a word. My wife and I look at each other in the car and go, okay? We drive on a big road for about a half hour. Not a lot of traffic, no honking, it’s really weird. It’s so calm and. Little bit spooky. After a while we get into town and it still is quiet? The incessant honking is not present, it kind of feels like we are in a ghost town! We get to our hotel, the driver says,”here”, dumps us off and leaves us. Staying at Hanoi Pearl, just behind the lake. It’s a quiet street and it does remind us of Paris. Except for the massage/ spa at every other business. I swear I see a Circle K and Spa.
this is my assumption and not based on a complete study, but people aren’t as friendly here. We go get a coffee on the lake, say Hi to the woman seating us and she completely ignores us. And it is quiet here. Unlike any place we have visited yet. Traffic is crazy, crossing the street is busier than HCMC, But we survive.
Go to the Thang Long Water Puppet show. You have to do to it somewhere and Hanoi may be the best. Walking around the lake at night is the best. People line dancing, strolling, it’s not all neoned up here like other cities, but the Red bridge is lit up. I really like Hanoi, but there is something subdued about it. Am curious if others have felt this.
this is my assumption and not based on a complete study, but people aren’t as friendly here. We go get a coffee on the lake, say Hi to the woman seating us and she completely ignores us. And it is quiet here. Unlike any place we have visited yet. Traffic is crazy, crossing the street is busier than HCMC, But we survive.
Go to the Thang Long Water Puppet show. You have to do to it somewhere and Hanoi may be the best. Walking around the lake at night is the best. People line dancing, strolling, it’s not all neoned up here like other cities, but the Red bridge is lit up. I really like Hanoi, but there is something subdued about it. Am curious if others have felt this.
Mar 25th, 2019, 04:12 AM
#31
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March 22 - I get up early usually when I am traveling but haven’t done that this trip because of so many early morning activities and early flights. I do get up early this morning and walk for about 1 1/2 hours. Hanoi is still overcast, a little cooler than south but not much. I walk into the French quarter and you really see the influence in the big streets and French looking buildings. I’m getting a cold which is effecting my attitude which is not cool. We have breakfast and take a walk around the
lake. Stop across the street from the Opera and we could be in Paris. Next we go to the Natl Museum of History and it’s 12:45. It ‘s closed until 1:30pm. This is one thing that steams me about Vietnam, they close everything down at noon, I guess for lunch. It’s hot, I’m sick and cranky, major attitude, screw Vietnam History, I saw Platoon and Good Morning Vietnam, I know enough about it, I’m not waiting! And you know what? They could have cared less. LOL.
Because I am sick, nothing, food wise looks good. We actually have Pizza ��, maybe better tomorrow.
lake. Stop across the street from the Opera and we could be in Paris. Next we go to the Natl Museum of History and it’s 12:45. It ‘s closed until 1:30pm. This is one thing that steams me about Vietnam, they close everything down at noon, I guess for lunch. It’s hot, I’m sick and cranky, major attitude, screw Vietnam History, I saw Platoon and Good Morning Vietnam, I know enough about it, I’m not waiting! And you know what? They could have cared less. LOL.
Because I am sick, nothing, food wise looks good. We actually have Pizza ��, maybe better tomorrow.
Mar 25th, 2019, 06:15 AM
#32
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March 24th - Take a taxi to the Temple of Literature. I ask the guy how much? 70k dong. I have nothing to compare it with. He takes us there, and the meter, which I have been watching says 38k. He says 70k, I point to the meter and say, look, it says 38k! He says no,no. We get out and I give him a 50k and he drives off. Interesting thing, in the South, everyone has told us they will try to rip us off in the North. Other than this I haven’t experienced it, but it may have clouded my perception.
Temple of Literature is great, it’s a beautiful setting and today seems to be graduation day. A young woman tells me it’s for Masters Degree. Plus there are about 4 or 5 big school groups walking through in there uniform. When they see us, they all start shouting, Hello! It is really fun and we are waving at them. Then a young girl, 8, comes up to practice speaking English. She only knows a few sentences then we notice her Mom is filming on her IPhone.
Next stop is the Museum of Fine Art, right across the street, I would recommend doing these together. The art is good, but it will really hit you that almost everything produced in the 60’s has a war them. Can you imagine if war had been the only thing you knew for 40 years?
Walked home stopped at a cafe for lunch. Later that night I saw the waitress walking with her boyfriend by the lake and we had a moment! A second of recognition then gone. I wonder what her life will be like.
Packed for our train trip to Ninh Bình tomorrow, but did one last quick trip around the lake. Fri, Sat and Sunday is walking night in Hanoi and they block off the streets around the lake. It is a Carnival. Plus there is a night market. I run into a kid from Italy, who had been on our boat down the Mekong!
God I love traveling!!
Temple of Literature is great, it’s a beautiful setting and today seems to be graduation day. A young woman tells me it’s for Masters Degree. Plus there are about 4 or 5 big school groups walking through in there uniform. When they see us, they all start shouting, Hello! It is really fun and we are waving at them. Then a young girl, 8, comes up to practice speaking English. She only knows a few sentences then we notice her Mom is filming on her IPhone.
Next stop is the Museum of Fine Art, right across the street, I would recommend doing these together. The art is good, but it will really hit you that almost everything produced in the 60’s has a war them. Can you imagine if war had been the only thing you knew for 40 years?
Walked home stopped at a cafe for lunch. Later that night I saw the waitress walking with her boyfriend by the lake and we had a moment! A second of recognition then gone. I wonder what her life will be like.
Packed for our train trip to Ninh Bình tomorrow, but did one last quick trip around the lake. Fri, Sat and Sunday is walking night in Hanoi and they block off the streets around the lake. It is a Carnival. Plus there is a night market. I run into a kid from Italy, who had been on our boat down the Mekong!
God I love traveling!!
Mar 25th, 2019, 08:13 AM
#33
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I do get what you mean about the difference in attitude of the people in the north those in the south. The northern Vietnamese have always seemed more reserved/aloof and southern Vietnamese friends have always said the same.
BTW, really enjoying your report.
BTW, really enjoying your report.
Mar 27th, 2019, 04:04 AM
#34
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Hey Crellston, it’s kind of like everyone in the North is from Chicago. No bullshit and kind of tough. After going through the Art Museum and seeing all the war art I’m going to give them a pass.
March 24th ( wrong date on post 32). Train trip to Ninh Bình, so far we’ve flown to Phnom Penh, took a boat down the Mekong, Bus to Can Tho, number of shuttles but first train trip today and it was great. We had to walk a few blocks to get a cab because the street in front of our hotel is closed for walking day. Cabbies don’t speak much English in Hanoi, by the way so it’s best to have an address with you. I say take us to the “train” station but it’s not registering with him, but then he types into Google, Railway station? Yep that’s it. Charges me a very fair fare of $35K restoring my faith in humanity and taxi drivers.
Get to the Train Station and the board says we can board at three different gates, because a train is long!A guy in a uniform says it is best at 3C, so that is where we go. By the way, they love uniforms in the North as much as they love neon in the South.
Meet a young woman from Italyon the trAin. She’s been in Bali for 6 months on Vietnam for a couple of weeks. It’s so mind blowing to an American with a petty two week vacations to hear someone say they are traveling until...Until what? Just until.
Arrive in Ninh Bình, driver there and he takes us to Hang Mua Ecolodge, where we will stay for two nights. Has anyone been there? Hard to explain, it’s there because of a Mua Cave and a 500 step hike up to a Pagoda and look out spot. It is surround by the lushest rice fields and karst formations. Beautiful! Then someone said, how can we make this more like Vegas, and that’s what they did. There are fake horses, goats, a koi pond, bridges,stepping stones. A swing set shove the neon lights. It is crazy, the promo literature actually says that it is the premiere destination for selfies!and that’s the crowd they are drawing and it is packed. Luckily we are three stories above it and everything winds down about 5:30PM And we have the place to ourselves.
March 24th ( wrong date on post 32). Train trip to Ninh Bình, so far we’ve flown to Phnom Penh, took a boat down the Mekong, Bus to Can Tho, number of shuttles but first train trip today and it was great. We had to walk a few blocks to get a cab because the street in front of our hotel is closed for walking day. Cabbies don’t speak much English in Hanoi, by the way so it’s best to have an address with you. I say take us to the “train” station but it’s not registering with him, but then he types into Google, Railway station? Yep that’s it. Charges me a very fair fare of $35K restoring my faith in humanity and taxi drivers.
Get to the Train Station and the board says we can board at three different gates, because a train is long!A guy in a uniform says it is best at 3C, so that is where we go. By the way, they love uniforms in the North as much as they love neon in the South.
Meet a young woman from Italyon the trAin. She’s been in Bali for 6 months on Vietnam for a couple of weeks. It’s so mind blowing to an American with a petty two week vacations to hear someone say they are traveling until...Until what? Just until.
Arrive in Ninh Bình, driver there and he takes us to Hang Mua Ecolodge, where we will stay for two nights. Has anyone been there? Hard to explain, it’s there because of a Mua Cave and a 500 step hike up to a Pagoda and look out spot. It is surround by the lushest rice fields and karst formations. Beautiful! Then someone said, how can we make this more like Vegas, and that’s what they did. There are fake horses, goats, a koi pond, bridges,stepping stones. A swing set shove the neon lights. It is crazy, the promo literature actually says that it is the premiere destination for selfies!and that’s the crowd they are drawing and it is packed. Luckily we are three stories above it and everything winds down about 5:30PM And we have the place to ourselves.
Mar 27th, 2019, 04:40 AM
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" it’s kind of like everyone in the North is from Chicago" - or London! Before retirement, the place I worked in London had a lot of Americans from Chicago and NYC who felt really at home in London. Those from elsewhere in world would often make the mistake of trying to strike up conversations with fellow travellers on the London Underground - they only did it once!
Mar 29th, 2019, 06:00 AM
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March 25th - Touring Ninh Binh. IME, unless you are using a major tour company most of the "work" is farmed out to contractors, like our tour guide today. So I am Vic Travel, a company based in Ninh Binh. I'm pretty sure, Vic Travel, is Vic, a computer and a pretty decent website! Guide shows up right on time. We are hitting 3 places. Trang An Grottoes, Hoa Lu and Bai Dinh Pagoda. I won't waste your time going into a lot of detail. Trang An is beautiful and we hit it on a fairly quite time, well run, and seems mostly like Vietnamese tourists at this point. Have lunch, Ninh Binh is famous for goat, so we have some goat. We stop a restaurant where all the little tour companies go and our shuttled into the back "banquet" room, where we are soon joined by three other small tour groups. We all laugh, that we are in "White Room".
Hoa Lu is OK, Ancient capital but most of that was destroyed hundreds of years ago. There are still a couple of temples.
Bai Dinh Pagoda is massive. It isn't one Pagoda but a very large complex of huge pagodas and gardens and you really should plan on more than a few hours here. We run into the Italian girl from the train. Bon Giorno.
Hoa Lu is OK, Ancient capital but most of that was destroyed hundreds of years ago. There are still a couple of temples.
Bai Dinh Pagoda is massive. It isn't one Pagoda but a very large complex of huge pagodas and gardens and you really should plan on more than a few hours here. We run into the Italian girl from the train. Bon Giorno.
Mar 29th, 2019, 06:14 AM
#38
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March 26th - Trip to Halong Bay. Again using Vic Travel. Primarily booked them because they had a reasonable way to move us from Ninh Binh to Halong, overnite and back on the road to Hanoi, for our last night. Kid with a dragon neck tatoo picks us up in late 90's Toyota Tercel, says we have another couple to pick up. We aren't going to Halong Bay in this? No, he laughs, I'm taking you to the bus. So this part we could have done by ourselves, it's really not a tour, we are taking a tour bus to Halong Bay, which is pretty packed with about 25 other people who have booked a trip.
4 hour drive, one stop. Pretty non-descript. Get to Halong Bay and it is chaos. I'm telling you there are hundreds of boats, skiffs, people and no one knows where to go. The bus driver is simply doing his job of getting you there. His partner does look up Legacy Legend Cruise on his phone and tells us it is 60 Meters down the wharf, and they leave.
After asking about 4 people if they have heard of LLC, they keep saying 25. What they don't say is that it is Building 25 and it takes me a minute to figure out that the Buildings are numbered, in pretty small numbers, but they are there. However, there is no signs for any cruise companys. Just tons of guys walking around in uniforms and writing stuff down on their manifests. I get to 25, yes we are on the list, no the boat isn't here yet, comes in around noon. Cool. About 11:45, a kid shows up and says, hi I am your tour guide,you owe us $290. Yeah, yeah. Do you work for Vic Travel? Who's that? I work for Legacy. OK.
We load up about 12:00, again total chaos because we are trying to load onto the skiff that is filled with people and their luggage getting off from yesterday! I start to see it's a constant turn around. We are doing 2 days/ 1 night. So the boat is coming back and they unload, then load and go right back out. We are going out with a wonderful, family of 4 from Malaysia and about 10, we think Russians, but it turns out to be a tour from Slovakia. This is a standard tour, like every other tour, I'm not going to go into it, but it's Ti-Tip mt., beach, travel to see some monkeys, amazing cave the next day, happy hour and back into port. See next post.
4 hour drive, one stop. Pretty non-descript. Get to Halong Bay and it is chaos. I'm telling you there are hundreds of boats, skiffs, people and no one knows where to go. The bus driver is simply doing his job of getting you there. His partner does look up Legacy Legend Cruise on his phone and tells us it is 60 Meters down the wharf, and they leave.
After asking about 4 people if they have heard of LLC, they keep saying 25. What they don't say is that it is Building 25 and it takes me a minute to figure out that the Buildings are numbered, in pretty small numbers, but they are there. However, there is no signs for any cruise companys. Just tons of guys walking around in uniforms and writing stuff down on their manifests. I get to 25, yes we are on the list, no the boat isn't here yet, comes in around noon. Cool. About 11:45, a kid shows up and says, hi I am your tour guide,you owe us $290. Yeah, yeah. Do you work for Vic Travel? Who's that? I work for Legacy. OK.
We load up about 12:00, again total chaos because we are trying to load onto the skiff that is filled with people and their luggage getting off from yesterday! I start to see it's a constant turn around. We are doing 2 days/ 1 night. So the boat is coming back and they unload, then load and go right back out. We are going out with a wonderful, family of 4 from Malaysia and about 10, we think Russians, but it turns out to be a tour from Slovakia. This is a standard tour, like every other tour, I'm not going to go into it, but it's Ti-Tip mt., beach, travel to see some monkeys, amazing cave the next day, happy hour and back into port. See next post.
Mar 29th, 2019, 06:40 AM
#39
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Halong Bay Rant - Everyone wants to go to Halong Bay. I did, it looks beautiful and it's on every list about Vietnam. Many on these forums have said that Halong Bay is a tourist trap. A tourist trip is going to Margaritaville in Key West and buying a Jimmy Buffet t-shirt. Halong Bay is nothing less than the rape of a natural resource that will never recover from the on slaught of people like you and me. Boy, does that sound harsh? There are three trips, a day trip, 2D/1N and 3D/2N. We did the second option, and I actually felt dirty after. The Bay from afar looks so other worldly, there is haze most of the time I was told, but it's Lord of the Rings stuff. Then you are going to load into a diesel reaking boat, that is only concerned with getting you to drink over priced alcohol and take you on a cookie cutter trip all while polluting this place. The back end of a lot of the boats are black from all of the exhaust. The water is filthy!! Plastic everywhere, paper, food containers, you see it washed up on the shore. The sites they take you to, TiTip Island, kayaking so you can see the Chinese throw Oreos to the monkeys are just so sad. This is close to China so there are bus loads of tourists who come out here for the day. I counted 20 day boats as we headed out to the bay.
You get L/D/B and lunch, so that means the remains of four meals are most likely going to be dumped into the water. We were standing at the back of the boat talking with a fellow cruiser and night when we heard a splash and saw crew dump stuff right into the bay. The lady next to us said I'm going to hope those were vegetables!
They are building so much at Halong Bay a huge strip of hotels right behind the wharf. We must have seen 10 hotels going up. So here is my advice, if you want to see karsts in beautiful formations being run in a eco friendly manner, go to Trang An. In fact we have a few photos that I thought were Halong Bay, when in fact were Trang An. At Trang An you have these women rowing you through the grottoes and it seemed so much more relaxed and peaceful than Halong Bay. We did Milford Sound, New Zealand last year at this same time and it is the same system but it is done with integrity and with regard to that great place.
If you have to go to Halong Bay, and I know you do, because I did! Pay extra and get a good boat, don't opt for the Reno prostitute, who's pretty beat up and long in the tooth because she's cheaper. At least go for the Vegas prostitute, who is cleaned up and shiny and hopefully you won't catch anything.
You get L/D/B and lunch, so that means the remains of four meals are most likely going to be dumped into the water. We were standing at the back of the boat talking with a fellow cruiser and night when we heard a splash and saw crew dump stuff right into the bay. The lady next to us said I'm going to hope those were vegetables!
They are building so much at Halong Bay a huge strip of hotels right behind the wharf. We must have seen 10 hotels going up. So here is my advice, if you want to see karsts in beautiful formations being run in a eco friendly manner, go to Trang An. In fact we have a few photos that I thought were Halong Bay, when in fact were Trang An. At Trang An you have these women rowing you through the grottoes and it seemed so much more relaxed and peaceful than Halong Bay. We did Milford Sound, New Zealand last year at this same time and it is the same system but it is done with integrity and with regard to that great place.
If you have to go to Halong Bay, and I know you do, because I did! Pay extra and get a good boat, don't opt for the Reno prostitute, who's pretty beat up and long in the tooth because she's cheaper. At least go for the Vegas prostitute, who is cleaned up and shiny and hopefully you won't catch anything.
Mar 29th, 2019, 03:56 PM
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fMarch 27th - Final full day in Vietnam. Get back into the harbor from Halong Bay. I have paid an extra $10 to take a faster bus back to Hanoi. I've confirmed this with the "tour guide" and we still get stuck on the group bus back to Hanoi spending 45 minutes at the Pearl Farm. Lesson, don't pay extra for the "fast" bus, it doesn't exist. Back into Hanoi around 4:00PM. We are staying on Phan Dinh Phung which is a crazy busy street but we are upgraded to the 8th floor. Have a big picture window and seems really nice for our last night.
March 28th - We are leaving this afternoon so it gives us a chance to go to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and this is the first time I've felt, Oh, I am in a communist country! Everything around the site is like locked down. Lots of aggression, which is what you get when you give an 18 yr old a machine gun and a whistle. Again, they love their uniforms in the North. Most of the soldiers are in dress whites. You can't step here, no photos, no cell use, stay in line. And the meanest ones are the women who monitor the line. They are pissed because they only got a whistle and not a machine gun. We get through the line pretty quickly, it's quiet somber as we walk past Ho Chi Minhs body. It's also kind of wierd given that this was the last thing he would have wanted to happen.
After the mausoleum, we go to the Ho Chi Minh museum. Which is excellent. We have a young Vietnamese guide and she is really good at her job and we have a very enjoyable 1 1/2 tour. There are some interesting things, like a German invented the telephone? Not sure about that one. It really is a good tour and it was a great way to put an end to 32 days in Vietnam.
Fly out tonight. Back to Los Angeles where the traffic is normal!
March 28th - We are leaving this afternoon so it gives us a chance to go to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and this is the first time I've felt, Oh, I am in a communist country! Everything around the site is like locked down. Lots of aggression, which is what you get when you give an 18 yr old a machine gun and a whistle. Again, they love their uniforms in the North. Most of the soldiers are in dress whites. You can't step here, no photos, no cell use, stay in line. And the meanest ones are the women who monitor the line. They are pissed because they only got a whistle and not a machine gun. We get through the line pretty quickly, it's quiet somber as we walk past Ho Chi Minhs body. It's also kind of wierd given that this was the last thing he would have wanted to happen.
After the mausoleum, we go to the Ho Chi Minh museum. Which is excellent. We have a young Vietnamese guide and she is really good at her job and we have a very enjoyable 1 1/2 tour. There are some interesting things, like a German invented the telephone? Not sure about that one. It really is a good tour and it was a great way to put an end to 32 days in Vietnam.
Fly out tonight. Back to Los Angeles where the traffic is normal!
