Northern Vietnam

Northern Vietnam: Same Same but Different

Kilometers Traveled: 19,141 

Countries Visited: 7

Cities Visited: 21

Number of Islands in Ha Long Bay: 1,969

The cold in Northern Vietnam snapped us out of the lazy pace we developed by lounging around in the South. Relative to the rest of Vietnam the North is a colder and more austere place but it has some of the most interesting sights in the country and is a fascinating place if you seek culture. The North was the cradle of the Vietnamese civilization and it's people hold on to traditions that they consider to be authentically Vietnamese. Everything is slightly different from the rest of the country - culturally it seems closer to China than SE Asia, they use a different dialect, the cuisine has a less spicy flare and disposition of its citizens is a little more severe. 

By this point in our trip we were running out of time on our visas and were in a hurried state of re-prioritizing our itinerary to get out of here by December 7th. Most travelers come to the North either to see the misty mountain town of Sapa and/or the countless limestone karst islands of Ha Long Bay. With only 5 days left before we had to be deported, we opted for more warmth and took a cruise to the islands of Ha Long Bay. We couldn't believe that a month had passed so quickly. We weren't prepared to leave Vietnam.

The karsts of Ha Long, which means descending dragon in Vietnamese.

Hanoi

It's 8am and a couple of loudspeakers buried in a tangled mess of black cables at the top of a telephone pole blare government announcements to the tourists in travel agencies and cafes below. The Old District of Hanoi is optimized to capture every tourist dollar possible, all of the hostels, travel agencies, restaurants are designed to get you into an all inclusive package to Sapa or Ha Long or both. Like China, Vietnam has become very adept at blurring the lines between a planned economy and a free market. It's easy to forget that this place is run by a communist government while walking by the countless shops, travel agencies and cafes. 

Many travelers use Hanoi only as a jumping off point for their next destination and usually miss out on what this cosmopolitan city has to offer. Hanoi has great food, museums, cafes, parks, and tons of history. Its people might not seem as warm as the southern regions at first but they just as genuine and friendly once they open up. 

Hoan Kiem Lake. A peaceful park and lake near the Old District

The Vietnamese Women's Museum showcasing women's contribution to agriculture, politics, and family in Vietnam

Hanoi is composed of wards, which focus on selling specific goods and services. This was the Christmas ward. Three solid blocks of Christmas decorations.

The Hanoi Military prison a.k.a the Hanoi Hilton.  Built by the French to contain Vietnamese revolutionaries, later used by the Vietnamese to hold American POWs, including John McCain. Get ready for a good dose of propaganda, especially when it comes to how the Vietnamese treated American prisoners.

John McCain's stuff. Do you think he wants any of it back?

The Temple of Literature. Vietnam's first university and a popular place for graduations.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and some realist communist art of a rock.

Ha Long Bay

It was hard to believe that our junk boat was sailing in open ocean. The water was as still as an indoor pool except for the ripples caused by the dozens of other boats that littered the bay. We had the warmest and clearest weather of the week during our three day tour of the bay which included a night on the boat and a night in a bungalow on a small island near Cat Ba. And for three days straight we were memorized by this area's intense beauty. It felt like this place was the work of thousands of artists strategically placing every limestone crag, evergreen bush and colorful fishing boat to create a living painting.

Sunset while kayaking on the bay.

We opted for the "luxury" tour which we hear is almost identical to the rest except that they serve decent food. That's what we kept telling ourselves to justify the splurge. 

Nice sunglasses Janelle. Can I borrow them?

One of the many karst islands we saw while cruising by on our junk. What are karsts? It is rock carved and shaped by rain water.

More islands just in case you wanted to see more.

El Capitan. 

Sung Sot Cave a.k.a Surprise Cave. Absolutely massive and it was cool to see ancient graffiti from Chinese sailors that used to hide out in here.

A tourist stop by the pearl farm where we learned the origin of the word mother of pearl. They also had a sign that read "If you don't buy, you will regret"

It's going to be hard to top this kayaking experience.

After the first day in Ha Long, we boarded a smaller boat to go to our island in Lan Ha bay near Cat Ba island

Our secluded bungalows on a private island. The cruise was great but this was highlight of our tour.

We couldn't get enough kayaking among these small islands. This is us getting stuck in shallow waters and almost ruining the kayak. I would have seen the rocks if I hadn't borrowed Janelle's glasses.

Here is a tip if you ever find yourself in this part of the world - always opt for the bungalow

Food

Hanoi has world class restaurants but even in a cosmopolitan place like this, street food rules supreme. There are a couple of companies that do street food tours if you want a get a good sense for what is available. Here is what we liked.

If sitting like this looks uncomfortable its because it is, but who cares when the food is that good.

Bun Bo Nam Bo (left) and Banh Cuon (right).

1. Bun Bo Nam Bo - A dry noodle dish with beef and a tangy sauce.
2. Banh Cuan - Soft rice paper filled with mushrooms and chicken and topped with fried onions. Only served for dinner.
3. Banh Goi - Savory pastries with a variety of fillings including crab, beef, veggies and noodles. I had to go twice it was that good
4. Pho - It was invented here and it is the best here (beef noodle soup)
5. Vietnamese Coffee - Hanoi has more of a coffee culture than anywhere else in Vietnam. Make sure to grab a cup.