Three Days in Sapa and One last stop in Hanoi

How do I even begin to describe Sapa? It is absolutely breathtaking. It is nothing I ever expected  to see or experience in Vietnam and as soon as I left I wanted to go back.  We couldn't stop taking pictures because every view was more beautiful than the next. We were surrounded by lush rice terraces, green mountains with hanging clouds and extremely friendly Hill tribe people (different minority ethnic groups living in Vietnam). I  felt like I could have been in the French or Swiss alps and even treated myself to some wine and cheese (which I've been missing terribly).

We took a night train there from Hanoi (right after we got back from our Castaway trip) and arrived early enough to have a full day to explore the city.  The first day we did a trek  to two nearby villages (the first one was called Cat cat village). It was fun to explore by ourselves without a tour group and we managed to go to some less touristy areas where we saw the Hill Tribe people's daily routine of harvesting rice (I will never look at rice the same-- it does not look like easy work!) We walked for about 4 to 5 hours and our feet were very tired afterwards so we treated ourselves to a $6 hour long foot massage and some wine :)

Local kids fishing in the water

The next two days we did an organized tour with a local company. We trekked with a Vietnamese tour guide named Quinn and 6 other westerners through the villages and rice patties and did a "homestay"   in the evening (essentially just staying a hotel in the village). Our tour guide and group was great and we had a local hill tribe woman named Jules following us around the first day. She was very sweet and helped me walk down some of the steeper hills but she also had a goal in mind-- get this tourists to purchase souvenirs from her. Since she was very nice and helpful I of course bought a small purse from her but we did find that some of the other women were a little too push when I came to their sales techniques.  On the first day we walked through 3 villages (Lao Chai, Tan Van, and Giang Ta Chai) and visited with 2 different minority peoples (the H'mong and the Dzay). On the 2nd day we treked through two more villages, walked through a bamboo forest and more rice paddies, and hung out at a waterfall. 

I could add dozens of more pictures because we have so many good ones  but I don't even know if the pictures  do it justice. Sapa was just absolutely wonderful. 

We took another night bus from Sapa back to Hanoi and had full day to kill in Hanoi (we scheduled a night bus for later that night to start taking us South). That day in Hanoi we went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex. We didn't actually go into the Mausoleum since it was a weekend and it was extra crowded-- this s one of the holiest sites for Vietnamese. . We decided to treat ourselves to a movie later in the day and saw StarTrek 3D (it was between that and fast and furious 6). Going to a Vietnamese cinema was a cultural experience in itself.

Castaway Tour: Two crazy nights in Halong Bay

Written by Andrew:

Halong Bay is one of the 7 new wonders of the world. The bay is dotted with over 1,000 limestone islands and caves and is a sight to be seen.

Through our prior travels, we heard a lot of good things about the castaway tour through the Hanoi Backpackers hostel and decided to sign up. The next 2.5 days were essentially one long wild booze cruise. Upon boarding our boat, our tour guide Ollie (a 22 yr old Brit) told us the two mandatory rules of the trip. 1) If you say the words TEN or MINE you have to do 10 pushups. 2) The Buffalo rule - if anyone caught you taking a drink of anything while using your right hand (beer, mixed drink, large warm thing of water) you have to chug the rest of the drink and get a new one. 

Drinking games on the boat

Our private is,and in Halong bay for two nights

(I said Mine and Ten way too much and could barely move my arms by the end ofthe trip)

There were a little over 40 backpackers on the trip, and we spent the boat ride admiring our surroundings, playing drinking games, and getting to know each other. We arrived at the private castaway island around 7 and were greeted by the group that had started the trip the day before us. With the bar open 24/7, the party lasted late into the night. According to our tour guide, if you ever needed a drink and no one was maning the bar, just yell ‘beer beer’ and a Vietnamese man would magically appear. 

When we weren’t drinking the next day, there were a lot of activities available to keep us busy, including kayaking, tubing, wake boarding, rock climbing, and beach volleyball. Another highlight was the late night swims. There is a lot of plankton in the water that glows at night when disturbed, so our bodies were completely illuminated by their glowing light (think life of pi / the beach).



All in all, the trip was a big party and a lot of fun.However, it all comes at a cost, and at $200 for the trip + all the money you spend on drinks, the 3 days were definitely pricey. Also for that price, the sleeping quarters were really shitty. Bare bunks with fans (although ours didn’t work) and no pillows. The only way to guarantee falling asleep was partying late enough to the pt where you could pass out everywhere.

Huge spider near our bunk

Check out the Andrew's Tumblr  for some more pictures.

Eating our way through Hanoi

The food in Vietnam has probably been one of the best parts of traveling in this country so I think it deserves its own post.  Our first night in Vietnam we did a food tour around Hanoi called food on foot which has been one of he highlights of my trip. It was a perfect introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.  A 23 year old Vietnamese girl named Lily took us around to 10 different restaurants/ food stalls and would have taken us to even more if we weren't about to pass out from being so full. She answered any question we had and acted more as a friend than a guide. We were also lucky enough to be the only two to sign up for the tour so we essentially had a private tour for $25 dollars each.  These are the places we went:

1) Banh Cuon Gia Truyen

Delicate and tasty banh cuon (silky steamed rice crepes filled with minced pork, mushrooms and ground shrimp), served hot off the screen on which they are steamed, is about all they do here - and they do it well.

This was one of our favorites-- we came back here more than once!

2)  Bia Hoi

One of the things we were most exicted about when coming to Hanoi was experiencing Biq hoi (Fresh/draught beer stalls).  These street stalls are a popular spot for locals to hangout and enjoy cheap cheap beer (around 20 cents per glass), peanuts and other snacks.  The beer is made freshly each night, delivered around the city the following morning, and guzzled down by the time the bars close that night. We found that they were usually full of men and that the beer was cheap but definitely not strong.  Lily ordered us two beers and a local delicacy called a banana flower salad. This spicy salad is made of greens, banana flower stems and the secret ingredient-- sliced pig ear. I tried a but of the pig ear but wasn't a fan.

3)Bun Bo Nam Bo 

 Means "Southern Beef Noodle" is a concoction of rice noodles, topped with sliced beef, peanuts, dried onions, bean sprouts, green papaya, coriander and basil leaves - all drenched in a small portion of sweet savory fish sauce.

It was also served with Chả lụa also known as Vietnamese sausage or pork roll. The pork has to be pounded until it becomes pasty and is then wrapped tightly in banana leaves.into a cylindrical shape and boiled. I found the texture very rubbery so this was not one of my favorite snacks.

4)Sugarcane Juice

Sugar cane juice, called nước mía, is very popular in Vietnam as a refreshing drink in the hot Vietnamese climate. Kumquat juice a citrus, is often added to balance the sweetness. It is available at numerous small street stalls, and is often sold alongside other popular Asian beverages. Very refreshing!

5)Floating Rice Cake (Troi)

This is a kind of Vietnamese rice cake is made from glutinous rice flour and a small sugar rock in the middle then fried sesame on top. 

6)Snails and Clams

 Lily tricked us into  trying snails by telling us that we were only getting clams.  When the plate of snails arrived at the table we felt bad not eating them--  they actually weren't bad!  

7) Fruit stand

We tried two fruits that we had never tried before that are very abundant and popular in Vietnam (I forget the names odd the top of my head). 

8) Fruit with shaved ice and condensed milk

A popular late night dessert and hangout spot for the "youngsters" of Hanoi.

All of the seating at the restaurants and food stalls we went to were plastic, small and low to the ground. Andrew was not a fan of this.

8) Snakehead fish spring rolls from Orchid

This was fun because we learned how to make our own spring rolls (which is very simple). The fish was brought out on a grill and heated right in front of us. We were almost too full at this point to fully enjoy the meal so we came back to this restaurant another night.

9)  Egg Coffee with Rum

 A night cap to our food tour. The egg coffee is made with normal black Vietnamese coffee and egg yolk whisked with milk and sugar. It tasted a bit like tiramisu on the top, very creamy and rich. This cafe was hidden in an alley way and upstairs-- we would have never found it without Lily! 

10) Sticky rice with a Fried Egg

We were too full to stop by the sticky rice restaurant that Lily suggested so we went the next day instead. This "glutinous" yellow sticky rice is much heartier than regular rice. Ours was topped with a fried egg, fried shallots and sme sort of delicious yellow shavings (possibly some sort or fat?). We went here a few times and it was always full of locals.

Three Nights in Hanoi

After 2 easy flights  from Hat Yai to Bangkok and then  Bangkok to Hanoi we found ourselves  in Vietnam.  We arrived early in the morning and our hotel had a taxi driver waiting for us at the airport. As we drove into Hanoi I immediately fell in love with the city.  Although it is full of motor bikes, traffic and some flashy store signs it also has a charming feel to it. The buildings have a European style to them and the streets are spotted with flowering trees.  In general, everything felt a lot less touristy than in Thailand.  Lonely planet describes it well: “Here exotic old Asia blends seamlessly with the dynamic face of the continent, an architectural masterpiece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through it.”

We decided to start our Vietnam adventure in a nicer hotel since we had been roughing it the last week or two in Thailand.  The hotel had wifi, aircon, a flat screen tv and they even upgraded  us to the honeymoon sweet. 

The three days in Hanoi we spent exploring the city and acclimating ourselves to Vietnamese culture. Some of the highlights were:

Walking around Hoan Kiem Lake and going to the Ngoc Son Temple-- the lake itself was nothing too special but it was surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers. One morning we were lucky enough to see a large group of old women (and some men) doing some sort of exercise routine right by the lake-- it was a pretty hilarious site. The temple is on an island in the lake and is a one of the city's tourist attractions.

Our first Pho--  one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam. It is a soup with rice noodles and usually beef or chicken and is popular  throughout the country. We had no idea how to order or what exactly was in it but it was delicious. This soup is actually very common for breakfast. 

Walking through the French Quarter-- this is more of the high end part of Hanoi with many french inspired cafes, designer stores and an opera house.  This was also where I tried my first Thai Coffee which I am officially addicted to.  I think that it is really strong coffee (maybe just an espresso shot or two) with condensed milk and sugar. It is DELICIOUS. 

Food tour- we did this the first night and it has been one of my favorite things we've done yet (props to Andrew for finding it and scheduling it) . See the next post for a detailed description of all the delicious food we tried. 

The Night Market- this market was only on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays so we were lucky to be there for it. We were happily surprised to find that it was a market catered for local rather than tourists. This was refreshing to see after Thailand. 

The streets- the region of Hanoi that we spent most of our time is called the Old Quarter which consists of 36 old streets. In the 13th century each street was defined by the merchandise that was sold on that street. Many f this still exists today-- for example there is a street at sells only shoes and another street that sells mainly children's clothing or even lamp shades. We found the show street the most entertaining. Andrew bought a pair of Nikes and a pair of New balances for $15 each. 

Shoe street

 The Military Museum- I unfortunately wasn't feeling well our third day in Hanoi so I spent the day in the hotel room but Andrew ventured to the military museum. He found it to be an interesting experience, as it showcased many exhibits and artifacts regarding the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese war with the French. It  also explained the events from the perspective of the North Vietnamese, which was interesting to see.

Pamphlet that American soldiers carried to be using if stranded.

Seeing this city in Vietnam for the first time made me realize that unlike Thailand where we had done tons of research in advance, I really had no expectations and very little knowledge about Vietnam.  I knew very little about the cities and culture and we really didn't have much of a plan for our 3 weeks in the country.  As nerve racking as this is it also makes traveling  much more exciting.  We have so much to learn and see-- the beauty and culture of Vietnam has so far been such a pleasant surprise. I think that Vietnam will exceed my expectations. 

Travel Recap: Thailand (written by Andrew)

Travel Recap: Thailand 4/17/13 - 5/16/13

30 beautiful days in Southern Thailand have come to a close, and the map above is a snapshot of the route We took.

Bangkok > Surat Thani > Koh Phangan > Koh Tao > Surat Thani > Khao Sok > Krabi > Koh Phi Phi > Railay > Ton Sai > Pak Bara > Koh Lipe > Hat Yai > Bangkok

Besides our first two nights in Bangkok at the beginning of the trip and our one night in Bangkok at the end, we never booked our accommodation ahead of time. Part of the adventure of arriving in a new town or island was finding a bungalow or hotel room. Typically, we would have a few different places in mind and then try and negotiate for a good price. The prices ranged from 1,000 baht per night ($33) to 200 baht per night (~$7). After having an AC room on Kho Phangan, we realized that we would be just as fine in a fan room and opted for the cheaper option in most subsequent places. Our rooms ranged from fairly luxurious to a step above camping, and while at some points we had to deal with little critters on our walls and floors, never did we feel unsafe.

In terms of getting around, we typically traveled by bus and minivan. We also took an overnight sleeper train, a flight back to Bangkok, and hitched a ride in a 16-wheeler truck.

And as far as the weather, the daily forecast was sunny and hot, typically in the 90s. It only rained a handful of times. Unfortunately, one of these times was when we were scheduled to do an overnight trip to maya bay in Phi Phi. We kind of lucked out, as the 2nd 1/2 of the trip took place during the beginning of the low season on the Andaman coast. My large bag of sunscreen also paid off, as I managed to avoid getting sun burnt and actually developed a half decent tan.

While it was sad to leave Thailand, we'll be back before the end of the trip

Three Nights in Ko Lipe (with pit stops in Pak Bara and Krabi)

As difficult as it was to leave the hippie chill community of Ton Sai, we wanted to end our Thai island hopping in what we heard was one of Thailand's most beautiful islands-- Ko Lipe. 

Ko Lipe is all the way on the South Western part of Thailand right near Malasia so we knew it would take at least a full day of traveling to get there.  We made it all the way to the port town of Pak Bara where the ferry to Ko Lipe leaves from when I found out that my new debit card (I lost the first one in the Bangkok airport) had been sent to a hotel in Krabi. The next fay, while Andrew took our backpacks to Ko Lipe, I took a 4 hour bus ride to Krabi to retrieve my card. I  spent the night in Krabi and took a 7am bus to Pak Bara to make the 11:30am ferry to Ko Lipe.  The day and a half of travel was annoying but worth it and I still was able to spend 3 nights and days in Ko Lipe.

The ferry to Ko Lipe was much more rocky and disorganized than our previous ferry experiences.  Andrew said that the waters were so rough on his ride that many of the people on his ferry needed barf bags.  I was very happy to get to Ko Lipe with only  a small day bag to carry and a bungalow already booked by Andrew. I was able to relax right away.

Our bungalow on the beach

Lipe Beach Resort

Ko Lipe is a beautiful quint island and we were lucky enough to be there during the low season (not too many people) but also got lucky with beautiful weather (which is not always the case this time of year). It seems that it is a very popular destination for Asian tourists and there were also a lot of locals interspersed throughout the resort areas. Our resort was actually next to the island's.  Ko Lipe also had  tons of dogs (we are not sure if they were pets) that roamed the beaches and streets as if they opened the place.

Most of our stay was relaxing and enjoying the beautiful beaches.  The first day we tried to snorkel the water wasn't very clear because it was still pretty rough. Ut the next day we were able to see some fish and Coral. Another treat of Ko Lipe was the fresh and inexpensive fish. Each night we got a different fish that was grilled right in front of us to perfection.

Another highlight was the sunsets in "Sunset Beach" (we were staying on Sunrise Beach).  Sunset beach was very private and although we have seen many sunsets in Thailand, this one may have been the best yet.  We also stopped by a bar on Sunset beach called Boom Boom bar which had very friendly locals and the same chill vibe as the bars in Ton Sai. 

Since this was our last stop in Thailand (our Visa only lasted 30 days), we needed one last Thai massage. We found a massage parlor on the beach and I think that this was my best massage so far.

Overall, Ko Lipe was a perfect island to end our one month in Thailand. We were able to relax and enjoy is beauty but we were also ready for the city life again. Off to Vietnam!!