Showing posts with label vietnam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vietnam. Show all posts
Once we'd arrived on the island we were allocated our rooms. We were put in a room for eight with four other girls and as it turns out, we all got on really really well. That evening we had a buffet BBQ, which received some mixed reviews. I wasn't a massive fan of the food, but some of the other girls really loved it. That evening there was a really big thunderstorm, so we spent the evening hiding away and getting ready before heading to the bar for happy hour.
We woke up at about 8 the following morning ready for what was to be the most exhausting day of the entire trip. The day started with a boat ride, and then a cycle to the start of the jungle trek. Now, let me tell you, I have never sweated so much in my LIFE than I did on that bike ride. It was really hot and humid, which combined with a lot of uphill cycling, resulted in a lot of sweaty, hungover backpackers. Now, we'd been told by a girl we'd met at a hostel earlier on in the trip that the jungle trek was a bit of a breeze and nothing to worry about. SHE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.
The walk was an hour uphill through the jungle, climbing rocks and mud, in 30-degree heat. Now, I cannot even begin to tell you how many times the girls in my room and I wanted to give up and just head back down to the start. But, after quite a few rest breaks and pep talks between ourselves we made it to the top. Now, this was very anticlimactic. We were expecting really gorgeous, panoramic views and it's fair to say we were underwhelmed, particularly after all that effort. Alas, we had a quick rest at the top before heading back down on the descent.We then had lunch on the boat, and a quick swim off the side, before heading back to the island. We had another chilled afternoon swimming in the sea before having our second buffet BBQ. We then got glammed up and ready for our second night of drinking on the island. It was far better than the last and involved alllll sorts of drinking games.
The following morning we were all feeling nothing but exhaustion... Perfect when a morning of kayaking is ahead, hey? It was really good fun but oh so tiring. After this, we had our final meal before heading back to the boat to head back to the mainland. Overall, we had a really good time, but definitely needed a few days afterward to recover. Hideaway isn't for the fainthearted. If you're thinking of going, definitely do the 3-day tour - it's a long way to go for only one night and really is worth the money.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam- Tips, Tricks and Things To Do
28.11.18 • backpacking, south east asia, travel, vietnam
Once we'd arrived on the island we were allocated our rooms. We were put in a room for eight with four other girls and as it turns out, we all got on really really well. That evening we had a buffet BBQ, which received some mixed reviews. I wasn't a massive fan of the food, but some of the other girls really loved it. That evening there was a really big thunderstorm, so we spent the evening hiding away and getting ready before heading to the bar for happy hour.We woke up at about 8 the following morning ready for what was to be the most exhausting day of the entire trip. The day started with a boat ride, and then a cycle to the start of the jungle trek. Now, let me tell you, I have never sweated so much in my LIFE than I did on that bike ride. It was really hot and humid, which combined with a lot of uphill cycling, resulted in a lot of sweaty, hungover backpackers. Now, we'd been told by a girl we'd met at a hostel earlier on in the trip that the jungle trek was a bit of a breeze and nothing to worry about. SHE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.The walk was an hour uphill through the jungle, climbing rocks and mud, in 30-degree heat. Now, I cannot even begin to tell you how many times the girls in my room and I wanted to give up and just head back down to the start. But, after quite a few rest breaks and pep talks between ourselves we made it to the top. Now, this was very anticlimactic. We were expecting really gorgeous, panoramic views and it's fair to say we were underwhelmed, particularly after all that effort. Alas, we had a quick rest at the top before heading back down on the descent.We then had lunch on the boat, and a quick swim off the side, before heading back to the island. We had another chilled afternoon swimming in the sea before having our second buffet BBQ. We then got glammed up and ready for our second night of drinking on the island. It was far better than the last and involved alllll sorts of drinking games.
The following morning we were all feeling nothing but exhaustion... Perfect when a morning of kayaking is ahead, hey? It was really good fun but oh so tiring. After this, we had our final meal before heading back to the boat to head back to the mainland. Overall, we had a really good time, but definitely needed a few days afterward to recover. Hideaway isn't for the fainthearted. If you're thinking of going, definitely do the 3-day tour - it's a long way to go for only one night and really is worth the money.
Our bus to Hanoi from Tac Coc only took three hours, so, we grabbed our bags from the bus and headed to our hostel to check in feeling all sorts of peachy. We were shown to our room and had alllll sorts of conversations with the people in our room on things like Brexit, peadophiles, you know, the standard small talk (?!?). That evening we went for dinner with one of the girls we'd met from our room and decided to eat at the restaurant Obama's. Which, yes, is named in honour of Barack Obama... When in Hanoi, hey? Although, I just wanna say that the food there wasn't great at all and the staff were particularly rude, so maybe not one to add to the must-visit list.
That evening we went for cocktails at Beer Corner which was really good fun. I don't want to spoil it for anyone that is planning on going, but Beer Corner really is quite the experience. So, essentially the bars and restaurants aren't legally allowed to have tables and seats out on the road but still do it anyway. Every hour or so there'll be a huge mad panic as all the restaurant staff whip chairs from underneath people and fold up and throw tables inside just before the police make their visit. Then, as soon as they've left the vicinity, the furniture comes back out and the customers can sit back down to eat and drink. It's hilarious to watch and really is a domino effect.
The following morning we went on the free walking tour provided by the hostel. This was actually really enjoyable and the only walking tour we did the entire trip. Our guide was really friendly and knew everything there was to know about Hanoi. We were wandering for a good few hours and then finished with an egg coffee. Yep, you read that right. I personally don't like coffee, so settled for an egg hot chocolate instead, which, can I just say, tastes way better than it sounds. After this, a group of us from the walking tour all went for Banh Mi together at Banh Mi 25. I had the BBQ pork and would highly recommend - not quite sure it beats the one from Highland Coffe though, just saying.
We then trekked to train street (which was much further than we expected) and waited to see the train coming from HCMC pass through the very narrow residential street. This was quite the experience and another thing that was nothing like I'd ever seen before. That evening we had a Domino's for dinner - yep that's a thing - and then went on the club crawl being hosted by our sister hostel. This was actually really good fun, the drinks were cheap and it was just an all-round fun night. The following morning we had our Hideaway tour (more on that coming soon) and it's fair to say we weren't feeling fantastic.
After the trip, we had a few more days in Hanoi before flying to Laos, and decided to stay in the same hostel as before in the hope of getting some peace after the three day bender. That evening we had another Domino's which did not agree with us in the slightest. (Note to self: stick to the local food next time). The following morning we headed for full body massages - they were great. The in-between the toe rubbing, not so great.
We then hunted down a tattoo shop that we'd read was really good and Toria got her first tattoo. The staff were really friendly and it was done really well, so a win-win all round. Next up on our Ha Long Bay recovery, peace and tranquility, agenda was a manicure. We went and had gel nails done at a salon near the markets before heading for a bit of shopping. Dinner that night was at Little Vietnam and the food was INCREDIBLE. So delicious. I had black pepper pork and it was amazing!! We woke up leisurely the next morning, packed up our stuff before checking out of the hostel and heading for a final wander of Vietnam. We had our final Banh Mi at Highlands Coffee before taking a taxi to the airport.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very busy and lots more to see and do compared to Ho Chi Minh City
THINGS TO DO
- Train Street
- Walking tour of the landmarks
- Try egg coffee
- See a water puppet show (which we didn't end up doing but is meant to be an 'experience')
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Visit Beer Corner solely for the entertainment value
- Don't order a Domino's
- Plan a lazy day or two for after the Hideaway Tour if you choose to do it
- If you haven't already, have a Banh Mi at Highlands Coffee
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Central Backpackers (original)
So, there are two Central Backpackers hostels in Hanoi and the original one (where we stayed) turned out to be the really quite (read: dead) one. There were hardly any people around and we were often the only ones down having breakfast in the morning. The other one, however, is the opposite. It was packed full of backpackers and even had a bar on the top floor complete with pub crawls, beer pong etc. That aside, the hostel itself was nice, the bathrooms were huge and the beds were comfy. It's also important to note that the Ha Long Bay tour we did was operated by the hostel, so this is why we chose to stay there.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
2/3 days - if you plan on going out, if not 1/2 will suffice.
Our bus to Hanoi from Tac Coc only took three hours, so, we grabbed our bags from the bus and headed to our hostel to check in feeling all sorts of peachy. We were shown to our room and had alllll sorts of conversations with the people in our room on things like Brexit, peadophiles, you know, the standard small talk (?!?). That evening we went for dinner with one of the girls we'd met from our room and decided to eat at the restaurant Obama's. Which, yes, is named in honour of Barack Obama... When in Hanoi, hey? Although, I just wanna say that the food there wasn't great at all and the staff were particularly rude, so maybe not one to add to the must-visit list.
That evening we went for cocktails at Beer Corner which was really good fun. I don't want to spoil it for anyone that is planning on going, but Beer Corner really is quite the experience. So, essentially the bars and restaurants aren't legally allowed to have tables and seats out on the road but still do it anyway. Every hour or so there'll be a huge mad panic as all the restaurant staff whip chairs from underneath people and fold up and throw tables inside just before the police make their visit. Then, as soon as they've left the vicinity, the furniture comes back out and the customers can sit back down to eat and drink. It's hilarious to watch and really is a domino effect.
The following morning we went on the free walking tour provided by the hostel. This was actually really enjoyable and the only walking tour we did the entire trip. Our guide was really friendly and knew everything there was to know about Hanoi. We were wandering for a good few hours and then finished with an egg coffee. Yep, you read that right. I personally don't like coffee, so settled for an egg hot chocolate instead, which, can I just say, tastes way better than it sounds. After this, a group of us from the walking tour all went for Banh Mi together at Banh Mi 25. I had the BBQ pork and would highly recommend - not quite sure it beats the one from Highland Coffe though, just saying.We then trekked to train street (which was much further than we expected) and waited to see the train coming from HCMC pass through the very narrow residential street. This was quite the experience and another thing that was nothing like I'd ever seen before. That evening we had a Domino's for dinner - yep that's a thing - and then went on the club crawl being hosted by our sister hostel. This was actually really good fun, the drinks were cheap and it was just an all-round fun night. The following morning we had our Hideaway tour (more on that coming soon) and it's fair to say we weren't feeling fantastic.
After the trip, we had a few more days in Hanoi before flying to Laos, and decided to stay in the same hostel as before in the hope of getting some peace after the three day bender. That evening we had another Domino's which did not agree with us in the slightest. (Note to self: stick to the local food next time). The following morning we headed for full body massages - they were great. The in-between the toe rubbing, not so great.
We then hunted down a tattoo shop that we'd read was really good and Toria got her first tattoo. The staff were really friendly and it was done really well, so a win-win all round. Next up on our Ha Long Bay recovery, peace and tranquility, agenda was a manicure. We went and had gel nails done at a salon near the markets before heading for a bit of shopping. Dinner that night was at Little Vietnam and the food was INCREDIBLE. So delicious. I had black pepper pork and it was amazing!! We woke up leisurely the next morning, packed up our stuff before checking out of the hostel and heading for a final wander of Vietnam. We had our final Banh Mi at Highlands Coffee before taking a taxi to the airport.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very busy and lots more to see and do compared to Ho Chi Minh City
THINGS TO DO
- Train Street
- Walking tour of the landmarks
- Try egg coffee
- See a water puppet show (which we didn't end up doing but is meant to be an 'experience')
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Visit Beer Corner solely for the entertainment value
- Don't order a Domino's
- Plan a lazy day or two for after the Hideaway Tour if you choose to do it
- If you haven't already, have a Banh Mi at Highlands Coffee
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Central Backpackers (original)
So, there are two Central Backpackers hostels in Hanoi and the original one (where we stayed) turned out to be the really quite (read: dead) one. There were hardly any people around and we were often the only ones down having breakfast in the morning. The other one, however, is the opposite. It was packed full of backpackers and even had a bar on the top floor complete with pub crawls, beer pong etc. That aside, the hostel itself was nice, the bathrooms were huge and the beds were comfy. It's also important to note that the Ha Long Bay tour we did was operated by the hostel, so this is why we chose to stay there.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
2/3 days - if you plan on going out, if not 1/2 will suffice.
Following this, we went for the famous boat ride through the limestone mountains and in the caves. Now, the interesting thing about these boat rides is they use their feet to steer and paddle the entire time. The boat ride lasted about 2 hours and was £6.50 each. The scenery really was stunning, and fortunately, we were early enough to miss the crowds so it was a really peaceful experience. As we were leaving there was just a constant stream of boats one behind the other, which sort of ruined the tranquility.
We then headed back to the room for a nap after our night on the bus and the early start. Can I just say how good it was to have a comfy bed AND A DUVET. I think this was the best nap of the entire trip. For lunch, we had vegetable noodles before hiring bikes and cycling to the Mua Caves viewpoint. Now, I was not prepared for what was ahead. 500 extremely steep, uneven steps. It's fair to say we took quite a few breaks on our ascent. But, when we got to the top, the view made it all worth it and more. There was even a wedding shoot happening at the top, with a bride in her gorgeous dress. Honestly, the things you see in Vietnam.After making it back down safely we cycled to a nearby temple to have a look around. On the way home, we spotted a hostel in the middle of nowhere so stopped there to have a sprite to cool down. Whilst there, we met a couple of Aussies and ended up going for dinner with them. We went for an Indian, and let me tell you, the food was AMAZING. By far one of the best curries I've ever had. I had a chicken tikka and a garlic naan, incredible.
That evening we played pool in a bar and had a few drinks before heading to bed. The following day we woke up and had the free breakfast at the homestay. We then went for a wander and had smoothies, followed by lunch, and then boarded our minibus to Hanoi. The journey was only about 3 hours, so by far the easiest of the trip so far. The minibus itself was also really nice, so no complaints at all here.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very quiet, but plenty of accommodation and restaurants
THINGS TO DO
- Boat Ride
- Mua Caves viewpoint
- Cycle to the temples
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Do the boat ride as early as possible to avoid it being too busy
- Hire bicycles to see more of Tam Coc
- There's free/cheaper parking by the entrance of Mua Caves, don't be lured in by people at the beginning of the road telling you you need to park there
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Ha Trang Guest House
If you're going to stay here, book a private room like we did. The bed was really really comfy and it was nice to have our own bathroom. It was fairly clean and the aircon was really good. Breakfast was included, and the stay overall was really well priced.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
1/2 days - there's not a lot to see and do
Following this, we went for the famous boat ride through the limestone mountains and in the caves. Now, the interesting thing about these boat rides is they use their feet to steer and paddle the entire time. The boat ride lasted about 2 hours and was £6.50 each. The scenery really was stunning, and fortunately, we were early enough to miss the crowds so it was a really peaceful experience. As we were leaving there was just a constant stream of boats one behind the other, which sort of ruined the tranquility.We then headed back to the room for a nap after our night on the bus and the early start. Can I just say how good it was to have a comfy bed AND A DUVET. I think this was the best nap of the entire trip. For lunch, we had vegetable noodles before hiring bikes and cycling to the Mua Caves viewpoint. Now, I was not prepared for what was ahead. 500 extremely steep, uneven steps. It's fair to say we took quite a few breaks on our ascent. But, when we got to the top, the view made it all worth it and more. There was even a wedding shoot happening at the top, with a bride in her gorgeous dress. Honestly, the things you see in Vietnam.After making it back down safely we cycled to a nearby temple to have a look around. On the way home, we spotted a hostel in the middle of nowhere so stopped there to have a sprite to cool down. Whilst there, we met a couple of Aussies and ended up going for dinner with them. We went for an Indian, and let me tell you, the food was AMAZING. By far one of the best curries I've ever had. I had a chicken tikka and a garlic naan, incredible.
That evening we played pool in a bar and had a few drinks before heading to bed. The following day we woke up and had the free breakfast at the homestay. We then went for a wander and had smoothies, followed by lunch, and then boarded our minibus to Hanoi. The journey was only about 3 hours, so by far the easiest of the trip so far. The minibus itself was also really nice, so no complaints at all here.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very quiet, but plenty of accommodation and restaurants
THINGS TO DO
- Boat Ride
- Mua Caves viewpoint
- Cycle to the temples
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Do the boat ride as early as possible to avoid it being too busy
- Hire bicycles to see more of Tam Coc
- There's free/cheaper parking by the entrance of Mua Caves, don't be lured in by people at the beginning of the road telling you you need to park there
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Ha Trang Guest House
If you're going to stay here, book a private room like we did. The bed was really really comfy and it was nice to have our own bathroom. It was fairly clean and the aircon was really good. Breakfast was included, and the stay overall was really well priced.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
1/2 days - there's not a lot to see and do
The next morning we woke up early, had breakfast at our hotel, and then headed to the lobby to wait for our bus to the caves. We'd booked a whole day tour through our hotel, and the day started with a trip to the 8 Ladies Cave and the memorial. This was really interesting and is part of most of the cave tour packages.
Following this, we drove to the next stop and climbed 700m worth of steps to the Paradise Cave. It was huuuuge, really cold (amazing after that sweaty climb) and beautiful. I've seen a few caves in my time but nothing that compares to that - it truly was stunning. If you're ever in Phong Nha, you HAVE to go and see it. Our trip included lunch, so we drove to the dark cave and were provided lunch there. This was the usual buffet style with all sorts of dishes to try. I opted for the veggie version and it was really tasty. After this, we queued up for our harnesses and headed to the start of the zipline. At the Dark Cave, you take it in turns to zipline to the mouth of the cave. They take photos for you mid-air, which are freely available on their Facebook page the next day.
We then swam to the entrance to the cave, and realized just how necessary the head-torches were. It's not called the Dark Cave for nothing. We trekked through the cave until we reached the mud bath, which, can I just say was the weirdest sensation ever. When you're in the mud, you just float. I'm talking Dead Sea, floating without even trying kind of floating. We went down a natural mudslide and then headed back out of the cave to civilization. There were kayaks waiting for us, so we kayaked in pairs over to the water sports area. Here, there were swings, assault courses, the whole shebang. We then had a rum and coke before being driven back to the hostel in the minivan. All of the above was included in the price (£45), so I'd highly recommend the Cave tour if you're not on a tight budget.That evening we had a night out - nope, we weren't expecting Phong Nha to have any nightlife either. But, it was good fun and we were surprised by just how many other backpackers were in Phong Nha too - you never see anyone in the daytime. We had drinks at the Easy Tiger Hostel and then headed to Andy's Disco Club.
The following day was a very relaxed one, spent in the pool and laying around in the sun. For lunch, we went and had an incredible pizza at Capture Vietnam. That evening we had dinner at Bamboo again and I had the chicken curry for a second time it was that good. We then waited for our night bus and saw our first proper Asia-style torrential rain, thankfully we were waiting inside. The bus arrived an hour late, was overbooked and had the WORST smelling toilet on board. Sleeper buses... You win some, you lose some.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very very quiet but with restaurants as far as the eye can see.
THINGS TO DO
- The Caves
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Look around for your cave trip, some are significantly more expensive than others
- Take plenty of bug spray, the caves are in the jungle
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Heritage By Night Hotel
The pool was 100% what sold it to us. Being a hotel, the private rooms were of course significantly better than the hostel room, and I personally wouldn't choose to stay there again. It had a really weird vibe, the staff weren't very friendly and having been into a few of the other hostels, I wouldn't recommend it.
2 days - the cave trip takes an entire day, and with the bus timings 2 days is perfect
The next morning we woke up early, had breakfast at our hotel, and then headed to the lobby to wait for our bus to the caves. We'd booked a whole day tour through our hotel, and the day started with a trip to the 8 Ladies Cave and the memorial. This was really interesting and is part of most of the cave tour packages.
Following this, we drove to the next stop and climbed 700m worth of steps to the Paradise Cave. It was huuuuge, really cold (amazing after that sweaty climb) and beautiful. I've seen a few caves in my time but nothing that compares to that - it truly was stunning. If you're ever in Phong Nha, you HAVE to go and see it. Our trip included lunch, so we drove to the dark cave and were provided lunch there. This was the usual buffet style with all sorts of dishes to try. I opted for the veggie version and it was really tasty. After this, we queued up for our harnesses and headed to the start of the zipline. At the Dark Cave, you take it in turns to zipline to the mouth of the cave. They take photos for you mid-air, which are freely available on their Facebook page the next day.We then swam to the entrance to the cave, and realized just how necessary the head-torches were. It's not called the Dark Cave for nothing. We trekked through the cave until we reached the mud bath, which, can I just say was the weirdest sensation ever. When you're in the mud, you just float. I'm talking Dead Sea, floating without even trying kind of floating. We went down a natural mudslide and then headed back out of the cave to civilization. There were kayaks waiting for us, so we kayaked in pairs over to the water sports area. Here, there were swings, assault courses, the whole shebang. We then had a rum and coke before being driven back to the hostel in the minivan. All of the above was included in the price (£45), so I'd highly recommend the Cave tour if you're not on a tight budget.That evening we had a night out - nope, we weren't expecting Phong Nha to have any nightlife either. But, it was good fun and we were surprised by just how many other backpackers were in Phong Nha too - you never see anyone in the daytime. We had drinks at the Easy Tiger Hostel and then headed to Andy's Disco Club.
The following day was a very relaxed one, spent in the pool and laying around in the sun. For lunch, we went and had an incredible pizza at Capture Vietnam. That evening we had dinner at Bamboo again and I had the chicken curry for a second time it was that good. We then waited for our night bus and saw our first proper Asia-style torrential rain, thankfully we were waiting inside. The bus arrived an hour late, was overbooked and had the WORST smelling toilet on board. Sleeper buses... You win some, you lose some.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Very very quiet but with restaurants as far as the eye can see.
THINGS TO DO
- The Caves
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Look around for your cave trip, some are significantly more expensive than others
- Take plenty of bug spray, the caves are in the jungle
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Heritage By Night Hotel
The pool was 100% what sold it to us. Being a hotel, the private rooms were of course significantly better than the hostel room, and I personally wouldn't choose to stay there again. It had a really weird vibe, the staff weren't very friendly and having been into a few of the other hostels, I wouldn't recommend it.
2 days - the cave trip takes an entire day, and with the bus timings 2 days is perfect
Our bus to Hue wasn't actually a sleeper one. It left Hoi An at 8am and arrived at about 12pm. The distance between the two isn't that far at all and the views along the way were incredible. The center of Hue isn't too big at all, and the bus drop off point is only a few minutes walk from most of the main hostels. So, we checked in, dumped our bags and then headed for a wander. We stopped for lunch and had Bun Bo Hue - beef noodle soup, having been recommended the city's famous soup by a member of staff at the hostel in Hoi An. It was really tasty and definitely one of the better soups I tried on our travels. 
After lunch, we walked to the Imperial City, which if you've read about Hue in any guidebook, is one of the main things to do. It's 150k to get in (about a fiver) and it's huuuuge. There are lots of different buildings and things to see, and even some gardens. The day we visited it was really really hot, so it's fair to say we were doing a lot of shade hunting. If you're planning on visiting the Imperial City, I'd definitely recommend reading up on it before you go, there are signs and information boards everywhere, but you definitely need a bit of a general understanding to begin with! Also, storytime: one of the security guards by the palace slapped both Toria and I on the arse ?!? Love that. 
We then stopped at the Highlands Coffee cafe right by the entrance and had our first Banh Mi of the trip. Banh Mi, for those of you who aren't sure, is a baguette filled with meat and various salads/vegetables. We had the BBQ pork one and it was incredible, and was only about 60p! If you ever need a quick lunch/snack in Vietnam, Highlands Coffee is always a good shout. 
Fed and watered, we then headed to the markets. These were very similar to a lot of the other markets we'd been to, selling very similar stock at very similar prices. We also found a proper supermarket and having a wander around that brought me more excitement than I should probably admit. I don't know, there's something about foreign supermarkets. and buying snacks...For dinner that evening we went to a restaurant called Nook, which had been recommended to us by the lady at our hostel. Now, the decor was lovely, very instagrammable: rooftop seating complete with fairly lights and colourful cushions. We both ordered the pork noodles, which weren't great and had immediate food envy when the table next to us had their burgers brought to them. So, moral of the story, order the burger. Always order the burger.
The breakfast provided at the hostel was great, so after our banana pancakes we decided to rent a scooter and go for an explore. Now, neither of us had ridden a scooter before, but Hue was one of the quieter stops on our Vietnam itinerary so it seemed like the best place to give it a go. It was actually really good fun and thankfully no accidents were had. We drove to the Thien Mu Pagoda and the Tu Duc tombs, and had an explore of both. I'd recommend visiting both, and hiring a scooter is probably the best way to see them as they're pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
For lunch, we had the famous Hue pork and lemongrass skewer rice paper rolls and they were AMAZING. An absolute 10/10. We then headed back to the hostel for a nap before getting back on the scooter and driving to the beach. It was about a 25 minute drive from the centre and is essentially just one long, fairly empty, road. The beach was lovely and pretty much empty. We definitely weren't in tourist territory as we were getting quite a few stares whilst at the beach and having a drink at a bar. We scooted back to the hostel and handed the scooter back. It cost £4 total to hire it for the day including helmets, so it definitely is a cheap, albeit slightly more dangerous, way of exploring the city.
We had pizza for dinner, and oh my, it was incredible. If you're in Hue and want a pizza, head to Jalapenos. Think mozzarella, then add more, and then add even more mozzarella. Our bus wasn't until lunchtime the next day, so we had a leisurely morning and took the bus to Phong Nha at 13.30.
Very quiet, but lots of restaurants and friendly people
THINGS TO DO
- Imperial City
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Tu Duc Tombs
- The Beach
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Read up on the Imperial City before you visit
- Hire a scooter to see all the sights
- Order the lemongrass pork skewers - amazing !!!
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Sunshine Hostel.
Another hostel in a good location, but was tricky to find initially, but people are more than happy to point you in the right direction. The beds were really comfy, each bed had curtains around it and breakfast was included. It was very well priced and nothing was too much trouble for the staff.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
With the bus timings, 2 days worked well for us
Our bus to Hue wasn't actually a sleeper one. It left Hoi An at 8am and arrived at about 12pm. The distance between the two isn't that far at all and the views along the way were incredible. The center of Hue isn't too big at all, and the bus drop off point is only a few minutes walk from most of the main hostels. So, we checked in, dumped our bags and then headed for a wander. We stopped for lunch and had Bun Bo Hue - beef noodle soup, having been recommended the city's famous soup by a member of staff at the hostel in Hoi An. It was really tasty and definitely one of the better soups I tried on our travels. After lunch, we walked to the Imperial City, which if you've read about Hue in any guidebook, is one of the main things to do. It's 150k to get in (about a fiver) and it's huuuuge. There are lots of different buildings and things to see, and even some gardens. The day we visited it was really really hot, so it's fair to say we were doing a lot of shade hunting. If you're planning on visiting the Imperial City, I'd definitely recommend reading up on it before you go, there are signs and information boards everywhere, but you definitely need a bit of a general understanding to begin with! Also, storytime: one of the security guards by the palace slapped both Toria and I on the arse ?!? Love that. We then stopped at the Highlands Coffee cafe right by the entrance and had our first Banh Mi of the trip. Banh Mi, for those of you who aren't sure, is a baguette filled with meat and various salads/vegetables. We had the BBQ pork one and it was incredible, and was only about 60p! If you ever need a quick lunch/snack in Vietnam, Highlands Coffee is always a good shout. Fed and watered, we then headed to the markets. These were very similar to a lot of the other markets we'd been to, selling very similar stock at very similar prices. We also found a proper supermarket and having a wander around that brought me more excitement than I should probably admit. I don't know, there's something about foreign supermarkets. and buying snacks...For dinner that evening we went to a restaurant called Nook, which had been recommended to us by the lady at our hostel. Now, the decor was lovely, very instagrammable: rooftop seating complete with fairly lights and colourful cushions. We both ordered the pork noodles, which weren't great and had immediate food envy when the table next to us had their burgers brought to them. So, moral of the story, order the burger. Always order the burger.
The breakfast provided at the hostel was great, so after our banana pancakes we decided to rent a scooter and go for an explore. Now, neither of us had ridden a scooter before, but Hue was one of the quieter stops on our Vietnam itinerary so it seemed like the best place to give it a go. It was actually really good fun and thankfully no accidents were had. We drove to the Thien Mu Pagoda and the Tu Duc tombs, and had an explore of both. I'd recommend visiting both, and hiring a scooter is probably the best way to see them as they're pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
For lunch, we had the famous Hue pork and lemongrass skewer rice paper rolls and they were AMAZING. An absolute 10/10. We then headed back to the hostel for a nap before getting back on the scooter and driving to the beach. It was about a 25 minute drive from the centre and is essentially just one long, fairly empty, road. The beach was lovely and pretty much empty. We definitely weren't in tourist territory as we were getting quite a few stares whilst at the beach and having a drink at a bar. We scooted back to the hostel and handed the scooter back. It cost £4 total to hire it for the day including helmets, so it definitely is a cheap, albeit slightly more dangerous, way of exploring the city.
We had pizza for dinner, and oh my, it was incredible. If you're in Hue and want a pizza, head to Jalapenos. Think mozzarella, then add more, and then add even more mozzarella. Our bus wasn't until lunchtime the next day, so we had a leisurely morning and took the bus to Phong Nha at 13.30.
Very quiet, but lots of restaurants and friendly people
THINGS TO DO
- Imperial City
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Tu Duc Tombs
- The Beach
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Read up on the Imperial City before you visit
- Hire a scooter to see all the sights
- Order the lemongrass pork skewers - amazing !!!
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Sunshine Hostel.
Another hostel in a good location, but was tricky to find initially, but people are more than happy to point you in the right direction. The beds were really comfy, each bed had curtains around it and breakfast was included. It was very well priced and nothing was too much trouble for the staff.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
With the bus timings, 2 days worked well for us
Ahhhh, Hoi An, the much anticipated Hoi An. Whenever we asked other travellers we'd met along the way which was their favourite stop in Vietnam, 99% all responded with Hoi An. Read any guidebook and it sings Hoi An's praises. It's fair to say it was one of the stops I was most looking forward to. We arrived off the sleeper bus very early in the morning and took a taxi to our home for the next few days: The Vietnam Backpackers Hostel. Thankfully, being a bigger hostel, arriving way before the check-in time wasn't a problem at all. We put our backpacks in a locked luggage room and went and napped on some sofas until a more reasonable hour. We then took full advantage of the pool facilities and sunloungers, and then got dressed ready for the day, all before 11am.
We were sat by the pool when we spotted an Australian couple who'd been in our hostel room in Nha Trang. After discussing our individual sleeper bus experiences we decided to hire bikes and go for an explore. The hostel was fairly near the beach, so that's where we headed. This was our first attempt on the roads in Asia, and to be fair, it wasn't too bad at all. Thankfully the roads were empty and the junctions had traffic lights, so I'd definitely recommend cycling down to the beach, it was really good fun.
The beach itself was lovely. White sand and crisp water. I had, unfortunately, got rather sunburnt a couple of days before so didn't really get to make the most of being at the beach. There were a few restaurants right on the beach front, so we had lunch at the nearest one. After cycling back, we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Now, the hostel was lovely, but it did feel an awful lot like being on Love Island. Let's put it this way, we were soon approached by 'Top Shagger Toby' and his laaaad friends and treated to their lads lads lads spiel.
That night we decided to go out out, so headed to Sunshine Hostel with a big group of others from our hostel. What's the significance of Sunshine Hostel I hear you ask? Well, let me tell you... For 100k (about £3.50) you can have unlimited drinks between 8 and 10pm. The hostel also has a pool, in the main area by the bar, which I ended up in fully clothed. I was pulled in by a random boy who was never to be seen again, thanks buddy. Spending the rest of the night looking like a drowned rat wasn't ideal, but yanno, as a backpacker I should've been grateful for the wash.It's fair to say we weren't feeling too peachy the next day, those unlimited vodkas had definitely hit. We had the free breakfast at the hostel - I had the pancakes - and spent the morning by the pool, lounging in the sun. Once we were feeling a bit more human we took a taxi to the old town and went for a wander. That evening we just had dinner at the hostel and headed to bed pretty early. It's fair to say the day was a bit of a write-off.
The following day we woke up, had breakfast and were in the pool by 8. That early bedtime clearly cured us. We spent the morning in the pool, showered and then had lunch at the hostel. We took a Grab taxi to the old town and wandered the markets, each buying some new clothes. Hoi An is known for it's tailoring - there are tailors every few meters each producing handmade garments within 24 hours for a very cheap price. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to have anything made, but having seen the pieces other travellers we'd met had had made, I'd definitely recommend doing it.Whilst wandering the market a Vietnamese lady offered to paint my nails for about 60p, so I ended up following her through the market to her home, and sat in her front room whilst she painted my nails. That afternoon we took a boat trip along the river, which was really nice. We were one of the only boats around, and it was only Toria, the boatlady and I onboard, so it really was peaceful.
That evening we had dinner by the riverside whilst we waited for the sun to set. We each lit a lantern once it was dark and put them in the river. Seeing Hoi An at night was beautiful, with all the lanterns, but very very busy! If you're planning on going, be prepared for a lot of pushing and shoving. That evening there was a karaoke night at the hostel so we ended up going to that. It was pretty good fun, definitely more so after a few vodkas.
A prettier city with a much slower pace
THINGS TO DO
- The Beach
- The Old Town
- Shopping in the markets
- See the lanterns in the evening
- Have some clothes tailor-made
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Use Grab to book taxis, they're much cheaper than the usual taxis
- Buy things from the market stalls that are slightly further out, they tend to be cheaper
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Vietnam Backpackers
Despite feeling a bit like Love Island, the hostel itself couldn't be faulted. It was clean, the showers were amazing, breakfast was included and the beds were really nice, we were lucky to be in a room that didn't have bunkbeds! It was definitely a party hostel, so if you're looking for a relaxing few days, I'm not sure this is quite the place for you.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
3/4 days - there's quite a lot to do, and it's more relaxing than other places
Hoi An, Vietnam- Tips, Tricks and Things To Do
12.10.18 • backpacking, lifestyle, photo diary, south east asia, travel, vietnam
Ahhhh, Hoi An, the much anticipated Hoi An. Whenever we asked other travellers we'd met along the way which was their favourite stop in Vietnam, 99% all responded with Hoi An. Read any guidebook and it sings Hoi An's praises. It's fair to say it was one of the stops I was most looking forward to. We arrived off the sleeper bus very early in the morning and took a taxi to our home for the next few days: The Vietnam Backpackers Hostel. Thankfully, being a bigger hostel, arriving way before the check-in time wasn't a problem at all. We put our backpacks in a locked luggage room and went and napped on some sofas until a more reasonable hour. We then took full advantage of the pool facilities and sunloungers, and then got dressed ready for the day, all before 11am.
We were sat by the pool when we spotted an Australian couple who'd been in our hostel room in Nha Trang. After discussing our individual sleeper bus experiences we decided to hire bikes and go for an explore. The hostel was fairly near the beach, so that's where we headed. This was our first attempt on the roads in Asia, and to be fair, it wasn't too bad at all. Thankfully the roads were empty and the junctions had traffic lights, so I'd definitely recommend cycling down to the beach, it was really good fun.
The beach itself was lovely. White sand and crisp water. I had, unfortunately, got rather sunburnt a couple of days before so didn't really get to make the most of being at the beach. There were a few restaurants right on the beach front, so we had lunch at the nearest one. After cycling back, we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Now, the hostel was lovely, but it did feel an awful lot like being on Love Island. Let's put it this way, we were soon approached by 'Top Shagger Toby' and his laaaad friends and treated to their lads lads lads spiel.That night we decided to go out out, so headed to Sunshine Hostel with a big group of others from our hostel. What's the significance of Sunshine Hostel I hear you ask? Well, let me tell you... For 100k (about £3.50) you can have unlimited drinks between 8 and 10pm. The hostel also has a pool, in the main area by the bar, which I ended up in fully clothed. I was pulled in by a random boy who was never to be seen again, thanks buddy. Spending the rest of the night looking like a drowned rat wasn't ideal, but yanno, as a backpacker I should've been grateful for the wash.It's fair to say we weren't feeling too peachy the next day, those unlimited vodkas had definitely hit. We had the free breakfast at the hostel - I had the pancakes - and spent the morning by the pool, lounging in the sun. Once we were feeling a bit more human we took a taxi to the old town and went for a wander. That evening we just had dinner at the hostel and headed to bed pretty early. It's fair to say the day was a bit of a write-off.
The following day we woke up, had breakfast and were in the pool by 8. That early bedtime clearly cured us. We spent the morning in the pool, showered and then had lunch at the hostel. We took a Grab taxi to the old town and wandered the markets, each buying some new clothes. Hoi An is known for it's tailoring - there are tailors every few meters each producing handmade garments within 24 hours for a very cheap price. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to have anything made, but having seen the pieces other travellers we'd met had had made, I'd definitely recommend doing it.Whilst wandering the market a Vietnamese lady offered to paint my nails for about 60p, so I ended up following her through the market to her home, and sat in her front room whilst she painted my nails. That afternoon we took a boat trip along the river, which was really nice. We were one of the only boats around, and it was only Toria, the boatlady and I onboard, so it really was peaceful.
That evening we had dinner by the riverside whilst we waited for the sun to set. We each lit a lantern once it was dark and put them in the river. Seeing Hoi An at night was beautiful, with all the lanterns, but very very busy! If you're planning on going, be prepared for a lot of pushing and shoving. That evening there was a karaoke night at the hostel so we ended up going to that. It was pretty good fun, definitely more so after a few vodkas.
A prettier city with a much slower pace
THINGS TO DO
- The Beach
- The Old Town
- Shopping in the markets
- See the lanterns in the evening
- Have some clothes tailor-made
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Use Grab to book taxis, they're much cheaper than the usual taxis
- Buy things from the market stalls that are slightly further out, they tend to be cheaper
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Vietnam Backpackers
Despite feeling a bit like Love Island, the hostel itself couldn't be faulted. It was clean, the showers were amazing, breakfast was included and the beds were really nice, we were lucky to be in a room that didn't have bunkbeds! It was definitely a party hostel, so if you're looking for a relaxing few days, I'm not sure this is quite the place for you.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
3/4 days - there's quite a lot to do, and it's more relaxing than other places
We headed to our hostel and just sat around until a more reasonable hour of the morning playing on our phones. We got talking to a big group of boys and ended up spending the day with them. They were heading to the nearby waterfall, so we decided to go with them and all ordered a minibus. This worked out at a really decent price, so it's definitely worth sharing transport with other people at your hostel!
Now, climbing the waterfall was not a walk in the park. I, being me, wore my sturdy 90p Primark flip-flops blissfully unaware of the climbing and scrambling ahead of me. The waterfall had three main pools, and arrows showing you the route to each one. I got to the second pool and gave up - I'm not sure how a broken neck would've gone down with my travel insurance provider. Quit while you're ahead people, quit while you're ahead. The rest of the group continued to the top so I just sat chilling in the sun, watching a Vietnamese family have a BBQ. The pools were really refreshing to swim in and the views were incredible - the waterfalls are definitely worth visiting!That evening we all went for dinner and cocktails together and then ended up at a beach club until the early hours.
When we finally made it out of bed the following day we headed to the ticket office to book our next sleeper bus. Unfortunately, the bus was fully booked for that day so we ended up staying in Nha Trang an extra night. After some lunch, we headed to the beach, despite the dark grey clouds, and lasted all of about half an hour before it started to rain. For dinner that night we wandered out of the tourist hotspot and down some sideroads into a more residential area. We got a few funny looks - I don't think tourists frequent that part of town very often. The food was delicious and well worth wandering to find. Once we'd paid the bill we walked down to the beach and on the way stumbled across a huge shopping mall full of an eclectic mixture of shops. It's fair to say it would be easy to kill an afternoon or two in there.The following day we went on a snorkeling trip that we'd booked through our hostel. The trip included three different snorkeling stops and lunch on the boat, and it was fab. We saw loads of different fish and coral, even if the latter was a bit dead and discoloured. Once back at the hostel we showered and napped, and then had dinner on the hostel roof, followed by a few Saigon beers on the beach.
We were a bit stuck as to what to do with our extra day, after not being able to take the bus the day we'd planned, so ended up at the cinema of all places. Mamma Mia 2 was at the top of my to be watched list, and after finding a cinema online that was showing it that day in English, it felt only right. After the film we had some dinner and then got ready for our second sleeper bus experience.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A not too busy city with lovely beaches
THINGS TO DO
- Climb the waterfall (not in 90p flip-flops)
- Go snorkelling
- The beach
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Choose a hostel with breakfast included as it makes life so much easier
- Book sleeper bus tickets asap to avoid being disappointed if they're fully booked
- Take a fair amount of money with you if you're going on a night out, drinks aren't quite as cheap as you expect
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Mojzo Dorm
Again, this hostel was in a fairly good location, was very clean, and the beds were really comfy. Each bed came with a lockable drawer for your belongings too. Breakfast was included - and was delicious - and the staff were really friendly. Can you tell I loved this place? I'd highly recommend.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
3 days would have been perfect for us, our fourth day felt a bit of a waste
Nha Trang, Vietnam - Tips, Tricks and Things To Do
3.10.18 • backpacking, lifestyle, south east asia, travel, vietnam
We headed to our hostel and just sat around until a more reasonable hour of the morning playing on our phones. We got talking to a big group of boys and ended up spending the day with them. They were heading to the nearby waterfall, so we decided to go with them and all ordered a minibus. This worked out at a really decent price, so it's definitely worth sharing transport with other people at your hostel!Now, climbing the waterfall was not a walk in the park. I, being me, wore my sturdy 90p Primark flip-flops blissfully unaware of the climbing and scrambling ahead of me. The waterfall had three main pools, and arrows showing you the route to each one. I got to the second pool and gave up - I'm not sure how a broken neck would've gone down with my travel insurance provider. Quit while you're ahead people, quit while you're ahead. The rest of the group continued to the top so I just sat chilling in the sun, watching a Vietnamese family have a BBQ. The pools were really refreshing to swim in and the views were incredible - the waterfalls are definitely worth visiting!That evening we all went for dinner and cocktails together and then ended up at a beach club until the early hours.
When we finally made it out of bed the following day we headed to the ticket office to book our next sleeper bus. Unfortunately, the bus was fully booked for that day so we ended up staying in Nha Trang an extra night. After some lunch, we headed to the beach, despite the dark grey clouds, and lasted all of about half an hour before it started to rain. For dinner that night we wandered out of the tourist hotspot and down some sideroads into a more residential area. We got a few funny looks - I don't think tourists frequent that part of town very often. The food was delicious and well worth wandering to find. Once we'd paid the bill we walked down to the beach and on the way stumbled across a huge shopping mall full of an eclectic mixture of shops. It's fair to say it would be easy to kill an afternoon or two in there.The following day we went on a snorkeling trip that we'd booked through our hostel. The trip included three different snorkeling stops and lunch on the boat, and it was fab. We saw loads of different fish and coral, even if the latter was a bit dead and discoloured. Once back at the hostel we showered and napped, and then had dinner on the hostel roof, followed by a few Saigon beers on the beach.
We were a bit stuck as to what to do with our extra day, after not being able to take the bus the day we'd planned, so ended up at the cinema of all places. Mamma Mia 2 was at the top of my to be watched list, and after finding a cinema online that was showing it that day in English, it felt only right. After the film we had some dinner and then got ready for our second sleeper bus experience.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A not too busy city with lovely beaches
THINGS TO DO
- Climb the waterfall (not in 90p flip-flops)
- Go snorkelling
- The beach
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Choose a hostel with breakfast included as it makes life so much easier
- Book sleeper bus tickets asap to avoid being disappointed if they're fully booked
- Take a fair amount of money with you if you're going on a night out, drinks aren't quite as cheap as you expect
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Mojzo Dorm
Again, this hostel was in a fairly good location, was very clean, and the beds were really comfy. Each bed came with a lockable drawer for your belongings too. Breakfast was included - and was delicious - and the staff were really friendly. Can you tell I loved this place? I'd highly recommend.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
3 days would have been perfect for us, our fourth day felt a bit of a waste
So, other than a one-night layover in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was the first place we visited on our Southeast Asia Tour, and what a place to start. We flew in from Bangkok (1hr 35m), and took a taxi to the hostel. We arrived just in time for dinner, so dropped our bags and went straight for some food. We had a bit of a wander of the streets and spotted a skybar called 'The View' so had a few drinks there before jet lag got the better of us.
Speaking of the streets, I don't think either of us were prepared for the absolute carnage on the roads. Never in my life have I seen so many scooters in one place. Let alone scooters darting and diving through the traffic and scooters carrying entire families of four.
The following day we woke up fairly leisurely and headed towards the War Remnants Museum. I'm still not sure I fully understand the Vietnam War, even after a trip to the museum, and messaging my friend back home to teach me, so definitely do a load of reading up before you go. The museum is full of photos, maps, posters and outside there are tanks, helicopters etc - it's definitely worth going to if you're in HCMC. Our other touristy stops for the day were the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame and the Ben Thanh Market. All are worth seeing and very much doable in a day on foot.
What I wasn't expecting in HCMC was a strip, Magaluf style, full of bars with happy hours. We spent our second evening drinking 2 for 1 cocktails, planning our next few days. On the way back we stopped at one last bar and I spotted 'Vietnamese Banana Seed Shots' on the menu. They can't be too bad, right? Well, let me tell you, they were awful - waaaaay more potent than Glen's Vodka, and that stuff strips paint off walls.
We'd booked a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels online (pssst don't do that, it works out a lot more expensive than the locally advertised tours) and woke up early the next morning ready to be picked up. It was a two-hour drive from the hostel, but we stopped halfway to look at some eggshell handicrafts. (From what I've read, all of the Cu Chi Tunnels trips stop here, regardless of who you booked with). Anyway, the tunnels themselves were fascinating. They're zig-zagged and on many levels, with booby traps every few meters. Lots of the tunnels had been widened and fitted with stairs for the tourists, but a couple you can visit are still as they were. Let's just say you couldn't eat a Toby Carvery and then squeeze in there. 
Our tunnel tour included lunch, so we had lunch at a hotel on the way back. After our day at the tunnels we both really fancied a shower, but unfortunately, we'd already checked out of our hostel as we were taking the night bus that evening. We were sweaty and covered in mud, so we came up with the idea of heading to a swimming pool. We googled pools and somehow ended up in a flashy 5 star hotel and soon came to the realisation that a swim there was a) expensive and that b) we stood out like a pair of sore thumbs. So, we had another google and ended up at the local swimming pool. We paid 50p to get in and headed straight to the showers, towel and shampoo in hand, flip-flops firmly on our feet. Now, we were incredibly grateful to have a shower, but, let me tell you, it wasn't a pretty sight. Mrs Hinch would not approve.
We had dinner and then headed to the ticket office to wait for our first ever sleeper bus. Now, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect having heard some absolute horror stories but I was very pleasantly surprised. We used the company 'The Sinh Tourist' which was reasonably priced and very clean. You're given a blanket, and each person has their own bed-seat for the night. There's also a seatbelt, which let me tell you, I was very grateful for. It's fair to say the bus drivers like to swerve, which, when paired with being on a top bunk fast asleep isn't an ideal combination. Thank you, seatbelt. I actually slept fairly well on the buses, and for the price, they're definitely worth doing.
FIRST IMPRESSIONSA big, busy city with more scooters than I've had hot dinners
THINGS TO DO
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Ben Thanh Market
- Central Post Office
- Notre-Dame
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Don't book the tunnels trip online, head to a local tourist desk and ask there
- If you want to cross a road, just walk out slowly, people aren't going to hit you
- Some of the restaurants charge you for using a napkin ???
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Aloho Saigon.
It's in an ideal location, right in the main backpacker street and very well priced. The beds, however, were the least comfortable of the 6-week trip, which is definitely saying something. There are also thin walls between the beds which rather than protect modesty just made it feel a bit like a prison.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
2 days is plenty to see the main sights and get a good taste of the city
So, other than a one-night layover in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was the first place we visited on our Southeast Asia Tour, and what a place to start. We flew in from Bangkok (1hr 35m), and took a taxi to the hostel. We arrived just in time for dinner, so dropped our bags and went straight for some food. We had a bit of a wander of the streets and spotted a skybar called 'The View' so had a few drinks there before jet lag got the better of us.Speaking of the streets, I don't think either of us were prepared for the absolute carnage on the roads. Never in my life have I seen so many scooters in one place. Let alone scooters darting and diving through the traffic and scooters carrying entire families of four.
The following day we woke up fairly leisurely and headed towards the War Remnants Museum. I'm still not sure I fully understand the Vietnam War, even after a trip to the museum, and messaging my friend back home to teach me, so definitely do a load of reading up before you go. The museum is full of photos, maps, posters and outside there are tanks, helicopters etc - it's definitely worth going to if you're in HCMC. Our other touristy stops for the day were the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame and the Ben Thanh Market. All are worth seeing and very much doable in a day on foot.
What I wasn't expecting in HCMC was a strip, Magaluf style, full of bars with happy hours. We spent our second evening drinking 2 for 1 cocktails, planning our next few days. On the way back we stopped at one last bar and I spotted 'Vietnamese Banana Seed Shots' on the menu. They can't be too bad, right? Well, let me tell you, they were awful - waaaaay more potent than Glen's Vodka, and that stuff strips paint off walls.We'd booked a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels online (pssst don't do that, it works out a lot more expensive than the locally advertised tours) and woke up early the next morning ready to be picked up. It was a two-hour drive from the hostel, but we stopped halfway to look at some eggshell handicrafts. (From what I've read, all of the Cu Chi Tunnels trips stop here, regardless of who you booked with). Anyway, the tunnels themselves were fascinating. They're zig-zagged and on many levels, with booby traps every few meters. Lots of the tunnels had been widened and fitted with stairs for the tourists, but a couple you can visit are still as they were. Let's just say you couldn't eat a Toby Carvery and then squeeze in there. Our tunnel tour included lunch, so we had lunch at a hotel on the way back. After our day at the tunnels we both really fancied a shower, but unfortunately, we'd already checked out of our hostel as we were taking the night bus that evening. We were sweaty and covered in mud, so we came up with the idea of heading to a swimming pool. We googled pools and somehow ended up in a flashy 5 star hotel and soon came to the realisation that a swim there was a) expensive and that b) we stood out like a pair of sore thumbs. So, we had another google and ended up at the local swimming pool. We paid 50p to get in and headed straight to the showers, towel and shampoo in hand, flip-flops firmly on our feet. Now, we were incredibly grateful to have a shower, but, let me tell you, it wasn't a pretty sight. Mrs Hinch would not approve.
We had dinner and then headed to the ticket office to wait for our first ever sleeper bus. Now, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect having heard some absolute horror stories but I was very pleasantly surprised. We used the company 'The Sinh Tourist' which was reasonably priced and very clean. You're given a blanket, and each person has their own bed-seat for the night. There's also a seatbelt, which let me tell you, I was very grateful for. It's fair to say the bus drivers like to swerve, which, when paired with being on a top bunk fast asleep isn't an ideal combination. Thank you, seatbelt. I actually slept fairly well on the buses, and for the price, they're definitely worth doing.
FIRST IMPRESSIONSA big, busy city with more scooters than I've had hot dinners
THINGS TO DO
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Ben Thanh Market
- Central Post Office
- Notre-Dame
TIPS AND ADVICE
- Don't book the tunnels trip online, head to a local tourist desk and ask there
- If you want to cross a road, just walk out slowly, people aren't going to hit you
- Some of the restaurants charge you for using a napkin ???
WHERE I STAYED & REVIEW
Aloho Saigon.
It's in an ideal location, right in the main backpacker street and very well priced. The beds, however, were the least comfortable of the 6-week trip, which is definitely saying something. There are also thin walls between the beds which rather than protect modesty just made it feel a bit like a prison.
HOW LONG TO STAY?
2 days is plenty to see the main sights and get a good taste of the city
Wowee, what a couple of months I've had... Sorry for the radio silence over here on becc4.co.uk, but it's fair to say I've been rather busy of late. I landed back in Heathrow this morning after spending the majority of my summer in Asia, and what a blast it has been.
One of my housemates and I spent 6 weeks backpacking Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, and then I flew out to Bali to spend two weeks there with my family. I posted pretty much everyday on my Instagram (@becc4_blog) if you'd like a peek at a few more photos and a little spiel on what I'd been up to.
The backpacking portion of the trip featured hostels, motorbikes, sleeper buses and pretty much everything you can think of in between. We covered the entirety of Vietnam by bus in about three weeks, and then flew between the other countries for the rest of the trip. We hadn't initially planned to go to Malaysia, but booked flights to Kuala Lumpur during one rainy day in Laos, having looked up where had the best weather in S.E. Asia at the time. And, oh, what a good idea that was, KL certainly didn't disappoint.
My time in Bali couldn't have been a more different experience to the other 6 weeks. There were no more hostels, hellooooo gorgeous villas, goodbye crappy bunk beds. The perks of traveling with your parents and sister, hey? We spent a week in a villa in Seminyak and then a week in Ubud in another villa, and it was great to see two very different sides of the island in one trip.
I'm going to be writing an entire blog post on each city/country of the trip, with photos, tips, advice, and recommendations, so expect to see those start to pop up shortly. If anyone has any questions on anything trip-related leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to cover them! After being in the pipeline for such a long time I can't believe it's all been and gone already? There's only one thing for it... Start thinking about summer 2019, hey?
One of my housemates and I spent 6 weeks backpacking Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, and then I flew out to Bali to spend two weeks there with my family. I posted pretty much everyday on my Instagram (@becc4_blog) if you'd like a peek at a few more photos and a little spiel on what I'd been up to.
The backpacking portion of the trip featured hostels, motorbikes, sleeper buses and pretty much everything you can think of in between. We covered the entirety of Vietnam by bus in about three weeks, and then flew between the other countries for the rest of the trip. We hadn't initially planned to go to Malaysia, but booked flights to Kuala Lumpur during one rainy day in Laos, having looked up where had the best weather in S.E. Asia at the time. And, oh, what a good idea that was, KL certainly didn't disappoint.
My time in Bali couldn't have been a more different experience to the other 6 weeks. There were no more hostels, hellooooo gorgeous villas, goodbye crappy bunk beds. The perks of traveling with your parents and sister, hey? We spent a week in a villa in Seminyak and then a week in Ubud in another villa, and it was great to see two very different sides of the island in one trip.
I'm going to be writing an entire blog post on each city/country of the trip, with photos, tips, advice, and recommendations, so expect to see those start to pop up shortly. If anyone has any questions on anything trip-related leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to cover them! After being in the pipeline for such a long time I can't believe it's all been and gone already? There's only one thing for it... Start thinking about summer 2019, hey?
My 2 Months Travelling Asia // The Round Up
16.9.18 • backpacking, bali, laos, lifestyle, malaysia, roundup, south east asia, thailand, travel, vietnam
Wowee, what a couple of months I've had... Sorry for the radio silence over here on becc4.co.uk, but it's fair to say I've been rather busy of late. I landed back in Heathrow this morning after spending the majority of my summer in Asia, and what a blast it has been.
One of my housemates and I spent 6 weeks backpacking Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, and then I flew out to Bali to spend two weeks there with my family. I posted pretty much everyday on my Instagram (@becc4_blog) if you'd like a peek at a few more photos and a little spiel on what I'd been up to.
The backpacking portion of the trip featured hostels, motorbikes, sleeper buses and pretty much everything you can think of in between. We covered the entirety of Vietnam by bus in about three weeks, and then flew between the other countries for the rest of the trip. We hadn't initially planned to go to Malaysia, but booked flights to Kuala Lumpur during one rainy day in Laos, having looked up where had the best weather in S.E. Asia at the time. And, oh, what a good idea that was, KL certainly didn't disappoint.
My time in Bali couldn't have been a more different experience to the other 6 weeks. There were no more hostels, hellooooo gorgeous villas, goodbye crappy bunk beds. The perks of traveling with your parents and sister, hey? We spent a week in a villa in Seminyak and then a week in Ubud in another villa, and it was great to see two very different sides of the island in one trip.
I'm going to be writing an entire blog post on each city/country of the trip, with photos, tips, advice, and recommendations, so expect to see those start to pop up shortly. If anyone has any questions on anything trip-related leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to cover them! After being in the pipeline for such a long time I can't believe it's all been and gone already? There's only one thing for it... Start thinking about summer 2019, hey?
One of my housemates and I spent 6 weeks backpacking Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, and then I flew out to Bali to spend two weeks there with my family. I posted pretty much everyday on my Instagram (@becc4_blog) if you'd like a peek at a few more photos and a little spiel on what I'd been up to.
The backpacking portion of the trip featured hostels, motorbikes, sleeper buses and pretty much everything you can think of in between. We covered the entirety of Vietnam by bus in about three weeks, and then flew between the other countries for the rest of the trip. We hadn't initially planned to go to Malaysia, but booked flights to Kuala Lumpur during one rainy day in Laos, having looked up where had the best weather in S.E. Asia at the time. And, oh, what a good idea that was, KL certainly didn't disappoint.
My time in Bali couldn't have been a more different experience to the other 6 weeks. There were no more hostels, hellooooo gorgeous villas, goodbye crappy bunk beds. The perks of traveling with your parents and sister, hey? We spent a week in a villa in Seminyak and then a week in Ubud in another villa, and it was great to see two very different sides of the island in one trip.
I'm going to be writing an entire blog post on each city/country of the trip, with photos, tips, advice, and recommendations, so expect to see those start to pop up shortly. If anyone has any questions on anything trip-related leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to cover them! After being in the pipeline for such a long time I can't believe it's all been and gone already? There's only one thing for it... Start thinking about summer 2019, hey?
If I hadn't already mentioned it enough times, this summer I am doing quite a lot of travelling, including 5 and a half weeks of backpacking around Southeast Asia. Last summer I spent 4 weeks solo travelling around Cambodia (you can read my tips for solo travelling as a female here and the first of my Cambodia Diaries on Phnom Penh here) and decided that I wanted to travel more of Asia this summer. My housemate and I are going together, and the current plan is to visit Thailand, namely Bangkok, Vietnam and Laos. We fly into BKK mid-July and the next day we fly to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. We will be in Vietnam for less than 30 days so will be able to apply for our visas online before we go.
As aforementioned, the first stop on our tour of Vietnam is HCMC. We fly in at about 4pm, have two full days there and then leave early on the third day. One thing I'd like to do whilst there is visit the Cu Chi tunnels - I think it'll be one of those things that you don't fully understand and comprehend until you see them for yourself. Ben Thanh Market is another place on my list to visit, gimme all the food.
With regards to getting around Vietnam, the current plan is to buy an open bus ticket that will allow us to travel all the way from the bottom Vietnam up to Hanoi. From what we've read online the tickets are very affordable and the service isn't horrendous - win win!
Next up is Da Lat. This is meant to be very good for canyoning, which it's fair to say I'm already a bit apprehensive about. I have absolutely no balance and the athletic ability of a wooden spoon, so we shall see how that goes... We're spending two whole days in Da Lat and then heading to Nha Trang.
We've heard mixed reviews of Nha Trang but decided we wanted to see it for ourselves for a couple of days and make our own judgement. Following this, we're then getting a sleeper bus to Hoi An.
Hoi An is potentially the place I am most looking forward to visiting. I have heard so many good things about it and I can't wait to experience it for myself. Our three days here will be spent wandering the ancient town, eating all the good food and just relaxing on the beach before heading to Da Nang.
The Marble Mountains are the main thing we want to see in Da Nang before heading to Hue two days later. I'm not sure we have any set plans for Hue, but I'd really like to see the Hai Van Pass. Then, after Hue is Phong Nha.
In Phong Nha we plan on visiting the Paradise Cave and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park - google it, it's gorgeous. We have scheduled two full days here before heading to Ninh Binh on a sleeper bus. We have two full days in Ninh Binh (are you sensing a theme here?) and plan on taking a boat ride here between the rice fields and mountains.
Then from Ninh Binh we're heading to Cat Ba Island. Halong Bay is perhaps the most visited part of Vietnam, unsurprisingly, just look at that white sand, turquoise water and the limestone mountains. We're not actually going to go to Halong Bay, instead opting for a very similar but slightly less touristy option; Cat Ba Island. We're planning a few days on the Island before heading to our last stop in Vietnam: Hanoi.
After a good thorough explore of Hanoi we are flying to Luang Prabang, the first of our three stops in Laos. This itinerary is of course entirely flexible, and we probably won't stick to it, but if you're planning a trip to Vietnam I hope this was helpful!
Have you ever been to Vietnam?
ITINERARY : TRAVELLING VIETNAM IN 4 WEEKS
15.6.18 • itinerary, lifestyle, travel, travel tips, vietnam
If I hadn't already mentioned it enough times, this summer I am doing quite a lot of travelling, including 5 and a half weeks of backpacking around Southeast Asia. Last summer I spent 4 weeks solo travelling around Cambodia (you can read my tips for solo travelling as a female here and the first of my Cambodia Diaries on Phnom Penh here) and decided that I wanted to travel more of Asia this summer. My housemate and I are going together, and the current plan is to visit Thailand, namely Bangkok, Vietnam and Laos. We fly into BKK mid-July and the next day we fly to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. We will be in Vietnam for less than 30 days so will be able to apply for our visas online before we go.
As aforementioned, the first stop on our tour of Vietnam is HCMC. We fly in at about 4pm, have two full days there and then leave early on the third day. One thing I'd like to do whilst there is visit the Cu Chi tunnels - I think it'll be one of those things that you don't fully understand and comprehend until you see them for yourself. Ben Thanh Market is another place on my list to visit, gimme all the food.
With regards to getting around Vietnam, the current plan is to buy an open bus ticket that will allow us to travel all the way from the bottom Vietnam up to Hanoi. From what we've read online the tickets are very affordable and the service isn't horrendous - win win!
Next up is Da Lat. This is meant to be very good for canyoning, which it's fair to say I'm already a bit apprehensive about. I have absolutely no balance and the athletic ability of a wooden spoon, so we shall see how that goes... We're spending two whole days in Da Lat and then heading to Nha Trang.
We've heard mixed reviews of Nha Trang but decided we wanted to see it for ourselves for a couple of days and make our own judgement. Following this, we're then getting a sleeper bus to Hoi An.
Hoi An is potentially the place I am most looking forward to visiting. I have heard so many good things about it and I can't wait to experience it for myself. Our three days here will be spent wandering the ancient town, eating all the good food and just relaxing on the beach before heading to Da Nang.
The Marble Mountains are the main thing we want to see in Da Nang before heading to Hue two days later. I'm not sure we have any set plans for Hue, but I'd really like to see the Hai Van Pass. Then, after Hue is Phong Nha.
In Phong Nha we plan on visiting the Paradise Cave and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park - google it, it's gorgeous. We have scheduled two full days here before heading to Ninh Binh on a sleeper bus. We have two full days in Ninh Binh (are you sensing a theme here?) and plan on taking a boat ride here between the rice fields and mountains.
Then from Ninh Binh we're heading to Cat Ba Island. Halong Bay is perhaps the most visited part of Vietnam, unsurprisingly, just look at that white sand, turquoise water and the limestone mountains. We're not actually going to go to Halong Bay, instead opting for a very similar but slightly less touristy option; Cat Ba Island. We're planning a few days on the Island before heading to our last stop in Vietnam: Hanoi.
After a good thorough explore of Hanoi we are flying to Luang Prabang, the first of our three stops in Laos. This itinerary is of course entirely flexible, and we probably won't stick to it, but if you're planning a trip to Vietnam I hope this was helpful!
Have you ever been to Vietnam?
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