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In search of egg coffee... and other delights: 16 days and 16 nights in Vietnam

In search of egg coffee... and other delights: 16 days and 16 nights in Vietnam

Old Jan 16th, 2019, 03:28 PM
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Hi all

Another big couple of days! Will come back later with details but Tuesday/Wednesday was Halong Bay with Buffalo Tour (l'azalee cruises) and then back to hotel at 2 PM or so. I wandered in the old quarter for a bit and had Banh Mi 25.

Right now heading out to Ninh Binh with Ethnic Travel...

Hanoi time is winding down...
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Old Jan 17th, 2019, 06:21 PM
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Thank you Sartoric for the tips!

Adelaide, thank you - will check out your photos later, am hovering over breakfast to sort out my last day. this is as far north as i will go this time.

Guenmai, so funny about Cotton House! that was a wonderful idea and thank you - love the clothing they made for me.

I just realized I cannot edit my posts above which means I will have to re-write the days when I actually fill in the blanks. Probably better though because the details would get lost above.

Thursday was my day with Ethnic Travel and Ninh Binh. I think I may have been anticipating this even more than Ha Long Bay - maybe because I had never heard of it before I started reading up on Vietnam here?

I nearly got vomited on - AGAIN - but luckily not. More on that later. I did have to sit next to the vomiting stranger on the tiny tiny row boat ride through the canals and caves which caused some angst until after 20 mins I realized maybe he wasn't going to vomit again. The poor guy was a backpacker and I'm not sure how he managed to leave his hotel without at least having breakfast but he didn't and the car ride made him very car sick apparently.

The rowboat ride was astounding. What a contrast between Hanoi and the canals and caves! I somehow missed that we would be riding through caves. Loved it!

We had an enormous home cooked meal after which they pulled out the bikes and off we went - 16km to the Hang Mua and 16km back. Bumpy roads full of scooters and cars and chickens and kids and hikers and cow pies and rice paddies... no helmet, no gloves, just hop and go. Felt very freeing. Although it did make my hands numb.

The climb to the top was a good healthy workout. There are two peaks, each with fantastic views. The climb gets harder the higher you go because the stair risers get taller and taller. I'd say the last half of each peak climb had risers that were nearly double a normal riser.

The views were out of this world!

Needless to say I ate a huge dinner last night.

I'll add details later BUT - today - last day in Hanoi! What to do what to do?

I am getting sick (breathing/sinuses mostly - could it be air quality?) so I decided against the 4 AM market tour. I am bummed because it looked v interesting but between not feeling great and the fact that it is getting chilly again (mid 50s all night, and in fact won't hit 60 until early afternoon) I decided I'd rather stay in the warm bed and rise when I felt like it.

I may check out the museum of ethnicity mentioned above, or Ho Chi Minh mausoleum etc... train street - still have not seen a train!

I also found out (from backpack guy) that I did not visit Cafe Pho Co because you have to walk through a textile shop to do so. The one I did was where Maps directed me and it looked out on the roundabout directly. In that case I must look again.

I am going to miss this hotel, this was a superb choice. everyone is so nice and the room and services have been top notch.

off I go...

EDIT: crellston, still having withdrawal? Thank you for all the advice - it has all been spot on!

EDIT AGAIN: eek I really have to get my Saigon hotel sorted, I never did that yet...

Last edited by flygirl; Jan 17th, 2019 at 06:23 PM.
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Old Jan 17th, 2019, 11:38 PM
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if anyone is reading this, where would I find Oil of Olay products please? thank you.
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Old Jan 17th, 2019, 11:56 PM
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You are very welcome flygirl. Good to hear you are enjoying my favourite SE Asian country and, yes I am still getting withdrawal symptoms - may have to divert via Vietnam when next we visit son and family in Australia.

Vomiting seems to be quite the thing in Vietnam. I remember on our last bus trip into the delta there was young Russian couple sitting in front of us. All of a sudden the woman sat bolt upright and projectile vomited covering herself, her boyfriend and the passenger in front. She then fainted and poor bf didn’t know what to do so I shouted to the driver to stop. He then slammed on the brakes. In hindsight it was funny to see all the passengers lifting their feet of the ground in unison as vomit slid along the floor.

We revived the girl and her boyfriend and I got her out out of the bus and the driver got a large Jerrycan of water, sluiced her down and got her bag out of te hold so she could change. Used the remainder to wash out the bus and we were on our way. Seemed like a regular day at the office for him.

Get that Saigon hotel sorted! They can get busy at this time of year.
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 12:07 AM
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You may find it in Trang Tien Plaza and upmarket shopping mall close to your hotel. I know this only because my wife had a face cream emergency when we were there, not because I am a secret user

If you can wait until Saigon then Parkson Department Store in D1 .
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 01:58 AM
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Crellston, UGH! So much worse than my story. gack!

thank you for the face cream emergency tip, I will wander by there. I probably can wait although I miscalculated on the amount of my daily face cream with sunscreen to bring. I figured for two weeks a 6 oz container would be enough - brand new in box - but it's more than halfway gone and tomorrow is halfway of trip.

Today was really just ambling - as I left the hotel I asked the concierge if he had any reco for lunch and he said Porte d'Annam. I wasn't yet hungry but figured I would wander near St. Joseph's and see if I could find Cafe Pho Co for real finally. I hadn't been paying attention to his instructions to find it because I have an iPhone and can figure it out on the fly...

A restaurant window caught my eye and I took some photos and the manager came out to chat with me and lo and behold I randomly found Porte d'Annam!

I bought two of his books - one on travel and one on cooking - and then looked all over the restaurant and took photos. Apparently when it was a Jesuit home (?) Mother Teresa stayed there once to do relief work? I did not fully get that story. Then the manager, Franck, told me to check out Madame Hien and I did so. What a beautiful building and story there as well!

At any rate I still wasn't hungry but figured I'd come back later... when I did, at 445, it was closed and I wasn't sure if it was open again at 5 pm or 7 pm so I came back to the hotel via the Sofitel to finally check that out as well. I think I like the Opera better actually! Maybe that is merely because i have been here all week and recognize everyone and they recognize me though.

I did finally find the real Cafe Pho Co and now I see why google had me doing what I did - it is rather hidden and it is actually near where the map put me but the front door is on the opposite side of the block...

So now I have to decide if I want to go back to Porte d'Annam as my last meal in town or go somewhere else... such as Pho Thin, also on the lake.

I am looking forward to having the streets closed to cars again tonight!


PS EDIT: I reserved the Reverie for just a tad more than what I am paying for the Opera, here, while in Saigon.

I could get the Myst Dong Khoi for the same price as the Opera. MDK and Rev. appear to be neighbors so the location seems good. Unclear if the price point I have actually gets a bigger room at the MDK or not. At least I have a room and I can poke around a bit if I feel like it.

Last edited by flygirl; Jan 18th, 2019 at 02:06 AM.
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 02:24 AM
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Really enjoying your TR Flygirl. I haven't made it up to the north of Vietnam yet so I'm getting some great tips for when I finally do.
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 03:45 AM
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Thank you Shandy! I hope it helps. I haven't even written the details yet.

Well, I hate to do this, but, I made an executive decision. Ugh.

I am not feeling better and in fact a bit worse. It's really just stuffiness so far but I'm miserable. PROBABLY walking around would have helped while walking but I'm kind of in a "eh, do I feel like getting dressed again" mood. It's just a tad nippy again, and despite the fact that the streets are closed off by now I'm not sure I really feel like going back out again for what would really be just looking for one more restaurant (likely either Pho Thin, or, the Porte d'Annam - I found out it probably opened ten minutes after I walked away from it, so bummer).

Anyway, I have to be up at 530 so I can pack and be out the door by 745 AM (and have breakfast) so as much as it pains me on my last night I think I'm just going to get room service and get to sleep early. I'm not really motivated to look for new entertainment especially if I want to get enough sleep too. I know, I know.

So sadly there were things I didn't do while here - including having bia hoi! Oh well. The week went really, really fast. I arrived Friday after midnight or so and I'll be up and moving mere hours after midnight to head to Hue.

Oh and I never did see the train itself come through train street! Another bummer! I went back again today to find out that once again I missed it by hours. Sigh.

There is a lot to see and do here and like everyone says: pace yourself. Give yourself a lot of time.

I am looking forward to heading back to the low 70s again like the early part of this week was! The rest of the trip is going to be increasingly warmer.

Hue awaits! I am at the Indochine Palace and I arrive at the Hue airport at around 1130 AM.

I got a tip from Sophie, of Sophie's Art Tours. She is in Hue these days, not Hanoi, and she said I should seek out a book by a friend of hers called Exploring Hue by Tim Doling. His website is HISTORIC VIETNAM - Tim Doling's heritage portal
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 04:04 AM
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Loving your report, flygirl! I spent a large part of our Christmas/New Year trip in Ireland with a nasty sinus infection (had never had one before). So I know how you feel and I hope you are feel better soon!

I have only been to Saigon and the Mekong delta, and want to see much more of the country, so I am taking notes!
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 01:11 PM
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Sorry you are under the weather, flygirl, and hope you recover soon, if only for the selfish reason that I want to share in more or your adventures.
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Old Jan 18th, 2019, 04:17 PM
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Up super early and packed and decided I would make one last stroll around the lake. I saw lots of folks doing Tai Chi and various other exercises too. Lots of cyclists and runners too.

It is so much more pleasant when they shut the streets! Please do try to make your visit over a weekend. The experience is night and day.

heading to airport now, Vietjet to Hue!

edit: thank you! Hoping this is helpful... really enjoyed it here. Bummed to go, especially knowing it will be some time beforehand a return. You know that whole job/vacation thing...

Last edited by flygirl; Jan 18th, 2019 at 04:20 PM.
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Old Jan 19th, 2019, 05:33 PM
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Now in Hue. I mostly wandered yesterday, including into the free part of the Citadel. Today I am going to have a driver take me to three tombs plus the Citadel.

I am getting sicker not better. Another early night. Ugh. I finally was compelled to dig into my luggage to see if I brought anything that would give me some relief and I found some nose spray which I took half an hour ago and at least I can breathe a little easier. Headache and rather lightheaded though. No bueno.

Today I am likely to take it easy after seeing the sights and then I'll plan to at least make it to the DMZ bar later. Or I may rally. We will see!

I am hoping that Hoi An will at least be less taxing to get around on foot - the lack of useable sidewalk space and dodging scooters is getting wearying especially when not feeling well. I have it in my head that it's quiet and peaceful and zen.

Tomorrow the driver here will take me to Hoi An and initially the person setting it up for me said he'd take me to Marble Mountain, Lang Co Beach, and Hai Van Pass but having looked the only thing I really want to see on the way hasn't changed - Hai Van Pass and the Golden Bridge.

Anyway, onward! BTW I found that past me was thinking of future me and packed TWO new big bottles of Oil of Olay and as such I am totally good to go and no need to seek that out either. ha!
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Old Jan 19th, 2019, 10:24 PM
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Sorry your aren’t feeling 100%. Good news about the Olay though. At least you will look good, even if you feel like c**p

Lang Co beach is missable but I would try and make it to the Marble Mountains. The temples etc are v interesting and there is an elevator so you don’t have to do the hundreds of stairs.

Much of Central Hoi An is pedestrian only, although the hordes of mostly Chinese tour groups do tend to detract from the zen experience! Either side midday is hotter but there are far fewer people around.
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Old Jan 20th, 2019, 05:19 AM
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Do you have travel insurance? Now might be the time to start looking at the policy.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2019, 02:34 AM
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I am alive! The morning after I finally dosed myself with nose spray (the good stuff) I started to breathe easier. I used it again that morning and didn't need it this morning. I still am stuffy and can't smell very well but not the same as this wkd. I really saw very little of Hue - three tombs and the Citadel on day two and I ate out twice, but a good chunk of it was hanging out in my room after each day ended. I feel I saw enough, though, it didn't grab me like Hanoi nor as of yesterday, Hoi An. On day one I mostly walked around and even met up for a pre-sunset drink with a guy I had met on the plane from Hanoi to Hue, but that was about it.

I did very much like my hotel, though, the Indochine Palace. Incredibly nice people, they pampered me with my cold and the room was fantastic.

I ate pho at Buncha House and I had the local Hue specials at Han. I also had salt coffee at Ca Phe Muoi which was excellent!

The driver from the airport also took me around to all the tombs, and, yesterday drove me to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass and Golden Bridge, neither of which I could see due to rain and fog and in the case of Golden Bridge, gale force winds on top. One tip: for sure, if it's raining down below, do NOT bother with Golden Bridge, it will be cold and very windy and you will see literally nothing. It was the only good day I could do it, though, and I figured why not at least give it a shot. You never know.

Well I will tell you now and save you the time: do not bother unless it's a perfect day and even then who knows what it will be like on top of the mountain. It is a shame because it certainly would have been gorgeous.

Anyway I made it to Hoi An around 4 PM or so Monday (yesterday) and had a wander. It is delightful! I am going to see if I can get either a food tour or photo tour. The choices are Vespa Adventures (maybe tomorrow?), Hoi An Photo tour (maybe Thurs AM) and if available instead, the Taste of Hoi An food tour. That would be my first choice if they can fit me in Thursday morning.

I fly to Saigon at 4 PM Thursday from Da Nang which I think likely means I should leave the hotel NLT 1 PM given drive time plus who knows what check in etc will be like.

I will say though that the Hanoi/Hue flight with Vietjet was EASY PEASY and it certainly helped that I had paid for the whole priority package too.

Oh and I did get fitted this morning to buy two Ao Dai dresses. I love them - so breezy looking. I am getting two Ao Dai and two pants to go with them.

Dinner tonight? Maybe Cafe Zoom, maybe Thuan Y. I am eating quite well (even if some meals are hotel meals) and am not terribly hungry now but I'm not here to eat peanuts so I'll be stuffing myself once again this evening.

Later! Thank you for following along...

annhig, thank you for your concern! I made it through to the other side lol
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Old Jan 22nd, 2019, 10:51 AM
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pleased to hear it, Flygirl. Hope you didn't mind the suggestion but I know that when I'm away, and especially when feeling ill, I don't necessarily think straight and need someone to point me in the right direction. Anyway, so glad it turned out to be just a cold and that you are feeling better, so didn't need to think about the insurance.

the impression I am getting so far is that you wish you'd had longer in each place you've visited so far - is that right? I'm not sure if I would ever do a solo trip to Vietnam like this but if I did, I'd want you as my virtual guide!
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Old Jan 22nd, 2019, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by annhig
pleased to hear it, Flygirl. Hope you didn't mind the suggestion but I know that when I'm away, and especially when feeling ill, I don't necessarily think straight and need someone to point me in the right direction. Anyway, so glad it turned out to be just a cold and that you are feeling better, so didn't need to think about the insurance.

the impression I am getting so far is that you wish you'd had longer in each place you've visited so far - is that right? I'm not sure if I would ever do a solo trip to Vietnam like this but if I did, I'd want you as my virtual guide!
Hi annhig

Not at all. it could have been anything but I suspected it was just a combo of a cold plus the pollution here. I appreciate it, I really do!

I have to say I'm no hero with this trip, I am definitely doing it the pampered middle aged way, I just happen to be planning it myself versus someone else sorting the details. LOL

I could have used another day in Hanoi for sure, and if I had even more time I would have liked to have seen Sapa. Hue, I think I can say I "saw it". I think if I had been feeling better and the guy I met had more time it would have been fun to wander around that day with him. He was only there in Hue to escort someone home - someone who actually HAD triggered their medical insurance policy (he is a French nurse who apparently free lances for that sort of thing). I also would have liked to have seen the mountains and Ba Na Hills in good weather. It looks gorgeous. Oh well.
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Old Jan 23rd, 2019, 06:32 AM
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Flygirl, I'm loving your report and instagram posts! Thank you for being so generous with us and sharing your experiences. I'm leaving for a similar trip next week, so this is amazing for me! One slightly boring question for you - how did you find the weather in Hanoi/the north? I'm struggling a bit with how to pack for the varying climates in the north and south. I like to travel light! Thanks again and keep the wonderful posts coming!
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted by ludliz
Flygirl, I'm loving your report and instagram posts! Thank you for being so generous with us and sharing your experiences. I'm leaving for a similar trip next week, so this is amazing for me! One slightly boring question for you - how did you find the weather in Hanoi/the north? I'm struggling a bit with how to pack for the varying climates in the north and south. I like to travel light! Thanks again and keep the wonderful posts coming!

Hi! Thank you - and I'm glad you are seeing the Instagram, I am much better about updating there than anywhere lol. what is your handle? I have seen some people like my posts that I did not recognize...

For anyone interested you do not need an instagram account to see my photos, you don't even need a mobile - just go to www.instagram.com and then type in my handle which is skywalkerbeth then you can see them all.

The weather thus far has been uniformly wonderful (to me). I like mild weather and don't mind a bit of chill either. This is however starting one month before your own trip (arrived Jan 11) so I would suspect it would start warming by the time you arrive. More or less it has been low 70s during the day, maybe mid 70s a few times, and the evenings have mostly been like that, with a few nights in Hanoi dipping into the high 50s.

Bottom line is that I have never needed more than my jean jacket and have almost exclusively worn knee-length dresses with sneakers and socks. (not fancy dresses, you know, I mean the Athleta/Gap kind of stuff - looks nice and presentable but fine with sneakers). I wore my jeans and a hoodie and rain shell with hood the day we went to Ninh Binh because it actually was chilly that day (high barely got to 60 and it threatened rain although it didn't happen) That was PERFECT though because it's a long climb to the top of Hang Mua and believe me, having cool weather with clouds was NICE that day.

I would say this though: your shoes will get FILTHY. Fil-thy. Don't expect to wear anything nice and in fact I have only worn flip flops one day in Hoi An and even then found myself wondering if I should have worn sneakers. It also happened to be the day that a little kid walked on my foot so my foot was filthy until I found something to wipe it off.

The sidewalks are nearly nonexistent due to the scooters parked there, You will be walking in the street a lot and that isn't always very even either. You will need to jump out of the way of a lot of things and it's very, very, very dusty. I didn't feel comfortable having open toes most of the time. Mostly what I used the flip flops for was when I would leave my room to go to breakfast. By all means bring them, Hoi An was mostly OK for walking around and if you are going to the beach for sure and of course they are small and light and it's just nice to have an option. But I wore them once on this long trip. (yes my UK and Aussie friends are saying "long trip? what long trip? 16 nights? long trip? hahahahahaha. think American and yes this is a long trip).

I am finally in Saigon and am staying in a FANTASTIC hotel. Crazy Rich Asians hotel. OMG! It's the most expensive of the trip at USD235 a night for the room and to me that is CHEAP. I have stayed in drab holiday inns in Manhattan for MUCH MORE. This is a gorgeous hotel.

Reverie Saigon.

Good thing, too, because I was sick again last night and in fact am only moving now (such a bad migraine I thought I was going to throw up). Long story will update the rest later. Vietjet screwed up the first evening in Saigon for me...

Most of this trip report is so high level, I am surprised anyone is finding it helpful - so many things I've left out!
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Old Jan 26th, 2019, 09:26 AM
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Sorry to read that you are under the weather again, flygirl - lucky you are staying in a nice place. I always find it helps that the environs are pleasant when you are feeling dreadful - a public toilet in southern France will long live in my memory and not in a good way.

Thanks for taking the trouble to post all those great tips - who knows if they may come in useful [for me] one day?

hope you are already feeling better and looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
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