Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Ninh Binh - Vietnam
/We arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam after a couple of flights from Bali, steeling ourselves for more crazy Southeast Asian traffic and bustle. And while it was definitely busy, it wasn't nearly as hectic as some of the other Asian cities we've visited. Sure, the roads were filled with a high number of cars, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians, but at least there weren't many cows.
The first day in Hanoi we had a free walking tour as part of our Ha Long Bay cruise package. This turned out to be a great idea, because we were able to follow our tour guide around the city while she pointed out the best spots for pho and explained coconut coffee and egg coffee to us, as well as the best places to buy them. She also taught us the word we'd need to use frequently -- bia, which means "beer." :)
Vietnam celebrates Tet, or the Lunar New Year on February 15th, so we wandered through markets seeing all of the colorful decorations and pungent food people could buy to prepare. Our guide explained that the piles of burning stuff along the road were not trash, but offerings. Tet is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture, so it was very interesting to experience.
It was also Chuck's birthday while we were in Hanoi, so we had a super weird cake in our room and went out to a great craft brewery and had some of the best beer we've had since New Zealand and Australia.
After Hanoi, we were picked up at our hotel for the four-hour transfer to Ha Long Bay, where we had a cruise booked. Lots of research taught us that the best way to see this UNESCO-awarded bay is to take a cruise through the gorgeous limestone cliffs. Excursions included visiting a cave, kayaking, and visiting a traditional fishing village where people rarely step onto dry land.
Ha Long Bay was some of the most gorgeous scenery we've seen on the trip. I'd love to experience it again when the weather is a little warmer! One of my favorite memories is playing backgammon with Chuck on our little balcony and having cocktails during sundown.
Ninh Binh is a few hours drive south of Hanoi. Some people call it "Ha Long Bay on land" because it also has limestone cliffs. It's famous for its scenery, made especially picturesque by the workers in knee boots tending to rice fields submerged in water.
We decided to rent motorbikes and give ourselves a little tour through the countryside. Personally, I like the e-bikes better since they don't make any noise, but these were okay too. My bike had a weird Hello Kitty helmet with a hole for my ponytail.
We've also really enjoyed the food in Vietnam, though we don't have any pictures of it! We've had a lot of pho (noodle soup with bone broth and meat), bahn mi (French baguette with salad, sauce and pork inside), and bun thit nuong (salad with noodles and pork on top, as well as some yummy sauce).
