Vietnam is diverse and full of surprises
Dodging motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City, cycling through monsoon rains in Hue and eating crickets in Mai Chau may not sound like a typical holiday — but who wants that?
Travelling in Vietnam is never dull. Take the route from Ho Chi Minh City north to the capital Hanoi — stopping a few places in between — and you’ll discover amazing food, incredible ruins and plenty of friendly, resilient people along the way.
For me, the fun began the moment I stepped onto the chaotic streets of Ho Chi Minh City — where there are no rules of the road and the onslaught of motorbikes is endless.
At last count, there were 7.43 million of them in a city of eight million people. Yet there’s often two to four people (including toddlers) per motorbike and, more often than not, they’re also carrying heavy, wide loads.
Crossing the street can be a death-defying act. “Walk slowly” is the common advice doled out to tourists. While it may seem counter-intuitive to tiptoe through an onslaught of traffic, it works.
And that’s how I slowly made it to the War Remnants Museum. The harrowing exhibits of weapons, the Agent Orange aftermath and photos set the groundwork for understanding what the Vietnamese call the American War.
It was also good to reflect on what the country has been through before I met the others joining me for the hike, bike and kayak tour organized by Toronto-based G Adventures.
The next day we explored the Cu Chi tunnels (46 kilometres north of the city), where about 16,000 locals lived underground during the roughly 20-year conflict, which came to an end when Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City) fell to the Communists in April 1975.
The 250 kilometres that make up the honeycomb network of tunnels in this area are a testament to the ingenuity of the Viet Cong, who were able to take on the armed might of the Americans by disappearing down camouflaged holes — each one about the size of a laptop — and into the tunnels.
It all seemed like a world away when we were cycling between the city and the tunnels — passing rubber trees, rice paddies and beautiful countryside.
The oldest ruins in Southeast Asia, the Hindu temples of My Son were built between the 4th and 14th centuries.
Although only 20 of the original 68 structures survived (the land is pockmarked by bomb craters), there’s a tranquillity and beauty in the valley, which is nestled between two mountain ranges.
Wandering through the brick and stone temples decorated with sandstone bas-reliefs and along paths in the lush valley, with the Thu Bon River gently flowing past, was a magical start to the day.
It’s easy to see why the Cham people, who came from India in the 2nd century, chose this area as a site for their kings and why it’s one of Vietnam’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The ancient town of Hoi An is another. The Japanese merchant houses and the Chinese temples in the coastal town are charming — especially at night when lanterns adorn the buildings and little boats carrying candles float along the Thu Bon River.
The town, once a major shipping area, is now a major shopping area.
Talented and versatile tailors do a brisk trade, quickly making anything you want.
Hue, about 145 kilometres north, reveals more of the country’s storied past. Mountain biking along dirt trails, through massive, muddy puddles and the monsoon rains of summer was oddly exhilarating.
We took a break from cycling to see the Citadel, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was home to the Nguyen Dynasty from 1805 to 1945. They were the last royals to rule the country and 13 Nguyen emperors and their numerous concubines lived in the vast complex.
My next stop was Poom Coong village in Mai Chau — an idyllic, pastoral area about 150 kilometres west of Hanoi, which has been developed into an ecotourism spot by the White Thai people who live there. Lodgings are all in homestays — in houses built on stilts.
After a shot of happy water, our homestay hosts produced a bowl of crispy, fried crickets — it would have been churlish not to try at least one. The rest of the food was made up of more typical delicious fare — rice, spring rolls and curries..
The scenery in Mai Chau is stunning with forested limestone mountains surrounding rice paddies. We did a casual day hike before making our way to Halong Bay, where more than 1,600 limestone pillars jut out of the Gulf of Tonkin creating a stunning karst landscape. Kayaking is relaxing and there are numerous spots to explore.
I had one last day left to see a bit more of Hanoi. There’s a crazybusy market, interesting museums and the pretty Hoan Kiem Lake in the centre of the Old Quarter.
The capital city doesn’t disappoint. It’s every bit as diverse and full of surprises as the rest of the country.