Continental Drifting: The rest of Vietnam

The rest of Vietnam

After an incredible introduction to Vietnam staged by the country south of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), I was excited to see what the north had to offer for the remainder of our stay. I was warned about the more hostile approach to tourism and the pugnacious nature of the people in general. I was in for a pleasant surprise once again.

Treating ourselves to a ‘cheapish' flight rather than sitting on a bus for 19 hours (if all goes well which it is wont not to do in these parts whereby 19 hours becomes 26 hours) turned out to be a fantastic choice. Hanoi is an intense and happening place; the streets are bustling and the pavements cluttered with scooters, informal restaurants, children, dogs and tourists. Our initial stay was short, as we intended to make our way to Ha Long Bay for a couple nights’ stay on an eco island. Again we were warned about scams and copy cats, but it seems we managed all right and went with a reputable company based on online reviews and a recommendation from an American I met at my tailor in Hoi An. He said the food and experience overall was great, and our experience reflected this. The weather however did not play its part and short of torrential downpours, it was the major downer of the trip. We made the most of it nonetheless.

Back in Hanoi we decided to try some new accommodation as it seemed our previous hosts were indifferent to our business and presence at all really. We’d travelled with a British couple we’d met back in Nha Trang and agreed to team up for the Ha Long Bay leg and the accommodation in Hanoi in an effort to use our numbers to help with bartering better rates. Turns out this is a very effective means of persuasion and despite the reduced rates on a decent hotel, the people were the nicest I’ve met so far. So eager to please and assist wherever possible. People can really make or break experiences - true of anything really.