Bat Tranh
It is rather cold and overcast when we visit this small provincial town that lives on ceramics, ceramics and ceramics. A cart listlessly pulled by a poor old ox and driven by an equally bored fellow reminds me of the fact that this place actually does receive foreign visitors who come and have a ten minute tour explaining how ceramics are made here in exactly the same way as anywhere else in the world. No need to go into further detail, I think our outing to Bat Tranh is an absolute waste of time.

So, we wisely put the place behind us and return to Hanoi well before lunch, spending the early afternoon around the West Lake. This place is not really off the beaten tourist track, but neither does it seem to be on the major attractions list of the capital city. Too bad, because the West Lake area is actually quite attractive, particularly with that little temple complex on the small island. The boat restaurants are not nearly as good as what you find downtown, so better visit the Lake area and return to the city centre for late lunch. Someone has to find out and pass his advice on to others, that is my meager consolation for having sat through a poor lunch after a poor visit to the ceramics village. Not my day, today.


Tam Coc
You noticed, Bat Tranh has not won my heart. The next day, Tam Coc has. The drive to Tam Coc takes us through rice fields and villages, full of life and colour, and after an hour or two we get to Tam Coc, Vietnamese for ‘Three Caves’, so I’m told. The village itself is not much, but it happens to be the place were we embark into a small narrow boat that takes us from a large basin onto a river winding along rice paddies and villages. At the end of the journey lies a complex of three caves. Along the way, we enjoy the rural serenity and hear the piercing silence of nature, only broken by the sound of our boatman’s paddle stirring the water and by the occasional wing flapping of an alerted heron. As we slide over the river, the valley becomes really spectacular, with high and narrow-based limestone mountains, abruptly and vertically rising from the rice paddies.

The boatman’s wife is on board as well, not to keep her husband company, but to sell the patchwork pillows, Vietnamese lace and other nice things she claims to have made herself. If this is true, she surely is a busy woman, with such vast quantities on offer. I evidently succeed better than my wife in not getting distracted by the boatwoman’s floating textile market and my camera and I concentrate more than the lady cares for on the natural beauty around us: fishing nets sticking out of the softly flowing river; a small cluster of abandoned headstones, soaked in a river overflow and overgrown by weeds; the massive cliffs steeply rising from the river surface and diminishing the human figures at their foot, while they ably keep their delicate balance, standing on the very edge of their little boat prows, inspecting their fishing nets.

At the end of the boat ride we reach three consecutive caves, like formidable bridges over the river bed. Our little boat navigates through the caves; the sound of the paddles working the water and the occasional exchange of greetings between boatmen who cross each other, endlessly resound in a loud and hollow echo. Then, at the exit of the third cave, again rice paddies, little huts, herons, frogs and fishermen going about their business of daily labour and survival. Life is simple here, apart from for my wife who really does not know which tablecloth to buy. They’re all nice. They really are: one at a time, I can see them all on my dining table, ever since I am back from my vacation in Vietnam.

Hoa Lu
It’s a short drive from Tam Coc to Hoa Lu, and so we make a side trip to it, before returning to Hanoi after our boat ride through the caves. I think of Hoa Lu as a real highlight of our trip to Vietnam. Several temple complexes connected to long gone North Vietnamese dynasties are lined up in the valley of rice fields, on the outskirts of a humble village. But the greatest memory I hold from Hoa Lu is the climb up the hill opposite the temples. The climb is not long, but quite steep and the royal graveyard on top is not really anything special. But what a sight unfolds once I arrive at the top, reaching for my breath: in the distance, a range of hills puts a limit to the enormous surface of rice paddies, scarcely dotted by modest little houses, tombs and humble Buddhist shrines; closer by, just under my feet, like toys lying around, the three temple complexes of Hoa Lu, each one bordered by a range of large, colourful flags.

Halong
Halong Bay is probably the most popular destination for foreigners touring the Hanoi area. Together with Sapa, which –unfortunately- we have no time to visit on this trip. But Halong surely is on our programme. An early rise makes it perfectly possible to do Halong in a day trip, although many people say this is too hectic. It’s not, if you have private transport.
On our way to Halong, we even have time to explore a few villages where people are planting rice, and we also take a closer look at a large traditional cemetery on the left side of the road, where impressing and colourful tombs attract our attention. Interesting indeed, but just watch out for the needles that lay scattered around. So, yes, Vietnam does have a drugs problem, and from the number of needles lying around, a large one. I know this may be jumping to conclusions, but our otherwise so discrete guide admits that the issue is real and serious.

Back now to more upbeat thoughts. We soon reach Halong Bay, suffocating under the strong morning sun in a wind still atmosphere, pregnant with intense humidity. I can hardly breathe, but I do not really notice, because I am too excited and carried away by the unbelievably colourful and fascinating scenes that unfold on the quays, with the junks raising their large triangular sails, vendors shouting their way through the crowds with their baskets of dried fish, fruits and candy, porters crumbling under the weight of suitcases and carton boxes, people walking on and off the swaying wooden planks that, somehow in defiance of gravity, remain in place and bridge the gap between the quay and the junk decks.

Then, as if the start sign for a race had been given, within minutes all boats untie the ropes and sail off. The steep rock formations rising from the sea are visible from a distance from the quay, and also our boat is pointing that direction. Off we are. As soon as we are sailing, a slight sea breeze relieves us from the suffocating combination of heat and humidity, making it actually very pleasant to sit on deck and watch the extraordinary sea landscape go by: pointed rock islands rising vertically from the water surface, like real skyscrapers scattered around by nature. As we navigate among the towering island rocks, our boat sets off a soft wave that drifts in diminishing circular ripples towards the anchored wooden platforms on which complete floating villages are built. The people who live, sleep and work in these houses surrounded and carried by sea, wave to us or they simply ignore our presence in a daily routine; for us, however, this is not routine, but an intriguing and unique experience.

We get back to the little port of the Halong Bay just before sunset. Observing the daily spectacle of the sun reaching to the horizon takes on a very special dimension here on the quay of Halong, as the changing tones of gold and red fading into the purplish glow of the final sunrays first intensify, then blur the contrast between the sea and skyscraper island rocks at the horizon. The spectacle of nature ends with an amazing sense of serenity, as the action on the waterfront dies out in a matter of minutes. Night falls quickly here. And, as it does we hit the road back to Hanoi. We can skip dinner tonight, had enough food during the boat trip anyway.

You've answered so many of my unasked questions in this one post.

The typical Hanoi tours have not really appealed to me, so I cannot tell you how excited I am that you have brought Tam Coc and Hoa Lu to my attention. They seem to be just what I am looking for.

I'm also planning on visiting Sapa, sorry you couldn't visit that area.

What time of the year was this trip?

very descriptive report....i must add however that we loved our hour or so in the ceramic village...the few things we purchased there flood back nice memories when they appear on our table from time to time....the pottery is dirt cheap and very attractive and well made...

The trip was in November. I did not file it earlier because I had lost my notes and got them back only recently.
You may be right on the visit to the ceramic village. Ours was also a bit spoilt by the weather that was not pleasant at all. Well, anyway.