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Vietnam - North and South

Exploring the country for three weeks in November 2017

By Beyond All Maps - Portraits of our Planet by Thorsten Mehret

January 13^th, 2018

ItineRary

Vietnam had been on my bucket list for a long time. The original idea was to explore it all the way from north to south, but due to its length (1,650 km) and geographic location - the climate in the northern, middle and southern part is very different - there is no overall good travel time. We finally decided to try our luck in November and to focus on the north (not too cold) and south (not too hot). The middle part (typhoon season), we've spared for another trip, possible together with south Laos. Considering that even two typhoons hit the middle part in November, it obviously was the right decision. We met a lady who showed us picture from her flooded hotel in Hoi An. She and other guests had to be evacuated by boat. No fun!!!

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Hanoi

Vietnam - North and South

Traffic

Overwhelming!!! That was my first thought when I walked out of our hotel (rcommended), in the old quarter, in the afternoon rush hour. Myriads of scooters on narrow roads and pedestrians right in the middle of the chaos, as the main purpose of walkways seems to be providing parking space. As I learned after a while, the trick is to be confident and predictable (e.g. no sudden stops, just keep walking), then the traffic magically just flows around you. Nevertheless, knowing that Vietnam has one of the highest traffic mortality rates in the world makes the confident part somehow challenging. When in Can Tho our Street Food Tour guide just walked over a huge junction bustling with cars and scooters, not even looking at the traffic but constantly talking to us, my confidence level really dropped into my underpants. But magically,.... (or was it pure luck?)

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Street Food Tour

A great start to explore Hanoi is via a Street Food Tour in the old quarter. Not only a great way to stroll around the old town, while visiting different food places (I think five or six in 3.5 hours), but also to try and learn something about typical Vietnamese food. For 20 US$ including guide, food and drinks a good deal, overall.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnames Coffee

Introduced to Vietnam by French colonist, drinking "ca phe" quickly became a local habit and even developed a style of its own with different forms of preparation. Most locals drink the dark, strong brew with sweetened condensed milk. Ice coffee also is popular. A speciality in Hanoi is the egg coffee (ca phe trung). Almost like a desert, I really loved it. In the cities sidewalk coffees are all around for a quick or longer break and we used to drop in at least two or three times a day.

By the way, Vietnam is the second biggest coffee grower in the world, right after Brazil.

Yes,....it's strooooooong!!!!

Vietnam - North and South

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake seems to be the social focal point in the historic quarter. A stroll around in the early morning is especially rewarding, as countless of locals of all ages doing some kind of morning sport around the lake. There are Thai Chi groups, massage groups, laughing groups, dancing groups, runner groups and many "I have no clue what they are doing, but it looks funny" groups.

At the weekend, the roads around the lake are closed off, and the area becomes full of families, friends, tourists and couples walking around. A wonderful atmosphere. Many doing group photos, often with very professional equipment and well dressed.

Turtle Tower

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Posing

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

In the Streets

Especially the old quarter with its myriads of small shops, boutiques, cafés, take-aways and restaurants, often in more or less run-down colonial buildings, has a charming atmosphere and is a pleasure to explore, despite all the hustle and bustle in the streets. After a while it just becomes part of the experience.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Literature temple

A classical must do, while visiting Hanoi. Despite the term "Temple", it never had a religious purpose but was the first Academy in Vietnam to educate the bureaucrats, nobles, royalty, and other members of the elite, dating back to 1076.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Uncle Ho, how locals call him fondly, was a Vietnamese communis revolutionary leader. He was Prime Minister and President and played a key role in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Despite his last will saying he wanted to be burnt, he was embalmed and his body is on display in a granite mausoleum. During our visit, Uncle Ho was in his annual "wellness vacation" in Russia to become "refurbished". When he is on display, people ares sometimes queueing up for several hours.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Halong Bay

Vietnam - North and South

Halong Bay is one of the main touristic landmarks in Vietnam. Accordingly, the bay with its 1,969 (the year of Ho Chi Minh's death) limestone formations gets very, very busy. The number of tour operators and tour options is countless, from bloody cheap day tours on overfilled wrecks to multi-day cruises on luxurious boats with wellness areas.

After quite some research we decided to go one a 3-days-2-nights cruise with Indochina Junk on their "Dragon Pearl II". Not too big (10 cabins, 20 people) to be impersonal but still with enough comfort like deck space and chairs and rooms with own private bathrooms. But the main draw for us actually was that Indochina Junk is one of very few operators that go a bit further out into Bai Tu Long Bay, which is far less busy but equally beautiful. They are not the cheapest but have a very good reputation and I can only say everything was perfectly organised from the pick-up in Hanoi in a Luxury Van, the check-in to the boat, the well balanced itinerary and the private transfer to Ninh Binh. Beside some nice time on the deck to enjoy the scenery, the tour included kayaking, BBQ on the beach, swimming from the boat and a visit to a floating village and a limestone cave. The crew was absolutely amazing, very helpful, attentive and always smiling. The food was great too, with six to seven delicious courses all the time, also taking all the individual food wishes into account (vegan, vegetarian, no shell fish, no gluten, no nuts ...). All in all, I would not hesitate to go again with them. Highly recommend!!!

By the way, we were told on the boat that from 2020 on, overnight cruises will be banned and only day-time travel will be allowed. Furthermore, wooden boats continuously will be replaced by metal boats. The authorities expect that the program will help enhance tourism service quality and safety. Well, I believe it will especially enhance the money pockets of the hotel owners. So, hurry up if you plan to visit Halong Bay!

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Ninh Binh

Vietnam - North and South

The area around Nin Binh is also called the dry Halong Bay, and indeed: limestone mountains that arise from a sea of rice fields is a good analogy. Unfortunately the rice was already harvested when we arrived, but the scenery is still nice. Due to its proximity to Hanoi it can get very busy with local day tourists, especially on weekends.

The best way to explore the area is by scooter (6 US$/day in Tam Coc). The country roads are not busy and the possibility to stop easily wherever you like to have a look around or to take a quick photo is great. At touristy spots we were always steered to parking spaces, mostly by official looking guys and asked to pay 10,000 to 20,000 Dong (50 cents / 1 US$). Considering lots of free space, that was a bit strange, but trying to leave the scooter outside immediately created a huge dispute. When we were asked on time for 2 US$ and I started to turn around, the price immediately came down to 50 cents, and the lady even conjured up another ticket showing this price. So be aware but don't bother too much and let the locals get their small portion of the business as long as its reasonable. At least you know you scooter will be guarded.

Vietnam - North and South

Nguyen Shack

Well, it's a matter of personal taste. I liked the idea of the rustic (but clean and well equipped) bungalows in beautiful surroundings. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Nguyen Shack has several locations in Vietnam, but the concept is similar. Just be aware that it's not only your home but also the home of plenty of geckos and in few occasions other less pleasant critters. The mosquito nets definitely help to give you a good sleeping time.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Surrounding Area

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Bai Dinh Temple

The area is a huge complex, with several buildings, gardens and even including a convention center. It's the biggest and one of the most important Buddhist temples in Vietnam. From the main entrance you can walk (several km) or take an electronic cart shuttle to the gate, what we did (yeah, I know, lazy). But it's still quite some walking in the compound. There are two very long hallways on the left and right side which contain 500 completely individually carved Buddhas. There is a huge bell tower, three big temples and a Pagoda with a great view from the top of it. Well worth a visit.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Trang An Grottos - Boat Tour

A nice way to explore the limestone mountain scenery is by boat. There are several options, Trang An and Tam Coc are the famous ones. As the latter one is even more busy and touristy, we decided for Trang An, which offers also the longer rowing boat tour (two or three hours options). Unfortunately, the weather was not favourable and it even startet to rain. It was still a nice atmosphere. And as we were the last boat of the day (even arriving back in the dark), we had the whole scenery for ourselves, creating a lost world feeling.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Tam Coc - Boat Tour

Some parts of the Tam Coc boat tour can also be explored by scooter, what we found out by surprise, glad to have chosen the boat tour the day before from Trang An.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Bich Dong Pagoda

The Pagoda consists of three separate pagodas on different levels and is dating back to 1428. Nice to explore.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Hang Mua Viewpoint

A fantastic view and well worth walking up the 500 steps.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Easy Rider - Ha Giang Province

Vietnam - North and South

There are two main destinations in the upper north, Sapa and Ha Giang Province. Unfortunately, we only had time to visit one of them. Sapa is perfect for trekking and homestays with spectacular landscapes. But it's also very touristy. Ha Giang is much more off the beaten path, perfect for an epic scooter adventure and authentic mountain life including bustling and colourful local hill tribe markets in a stunning scenery.

We took the night bus from Hanoi, starting at 21:00 and arrived already around 03:30. I had read some horror stories about night buses especially from Hanoi to Saigon and many people in travel fora recommend not to take any, but to Ha Giang there is not much traffic and no time pressure, so it was a comfortable and save experience for us. Much better than I had thought. I had reserved a scooter via QT Motorbike and Tours and as they also have a guesthouse close to the bus station we were offered a bed for free to get some extra hours of sleep. 20 minutes after our early arrival we were already in a bed. Great!!!

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

The Tour

There is not that much information available about the region on the internet, and also the respective section in the guidebook was rather thin. QT has a good website and also a nice map so I arranged two scooters with them and also asked for a four day itinerary, having already something on my mind from my guidebook. They came up with another suggestion, a nice round trip including an overnight stay in a town called Du Gia which I did not even find in my guidebook. What a fantastic recommendation! The whole area around Du Gia is so beautiful and pristine it became our favourite part of an overall amazing trip. I can highly recommend QT, as also the scooters were well maintained and we got excellent instructions.

Night Bus from Hanoi, arriving 03:30 Ha Giang

Day 1: Ha Giang - Tam Son Town - Du Gia

Day 2: Du Gia - Mau Due Town - Meo Vac

Day 3: Meo Vac - Ma Pi Leng Pass - Dong Van - Lung Cu

Day 4: Dong Van - Yen Minh - Tam Son - Ha Giang - Night Bus to Hanoi leaving 21:00

Vietnam - North and South

Day 1 - Ha Giang to Du Gia

What a start, good curved mountains roads with almost no cars, spectacular scenery and smiling locals. Even the sun came out a good bit.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Getting some food on the way was not that easy here. No English, no menu, nothing to point at, so we tried our luck with "pho" hoping to pronounce it understandably. Normally it works, but when after 15 minutes nothing happened we were already wondering. Finally a Dutch girl with her guide dropped in and after a short chat with the chef, he explained they had run out of rice noodles but were too shy trying to explain. The guide ordered some rice, meat and vegetables and we were glad not to starve to death.

On another table some guys were smoking a local pipe, the whole scene reminded me on a opium den (which it wasn't). They immediately agreed and proudly posed when I asked them if I could take some pictures. But as a nonsmoker I was not so keen trying the pipe which they offered.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Lovely scenery approaching Du Gia

Vietnam - North and South

Du Gia is a small charming mountain settlement, with just a few guesthouses that offer dorms only.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Day 2 - Du Gia to Meo Vac

Thanks to the perfect itinerary, we started early with a walk over the colorful Saturday market in Du Gia. Everyone was friendly and smiling, and taking photos was no problem at all. Looking at the photos later that included me (1.85m tall), I realised how small the people are in this region.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

At 10:00 a.m. we started towards Meo Vac after me managed to fight our way through the market hustle and bustle. Again the scenery is stunning and kids are curious about the strangers, without being pushy or even asking for money. But some balloons are always welcome. Seeing how the thoughtless distribution of giveaways to children has changed the behaviour in other places, I find it at least important to interact a while and have some fun with the kids beforehand, so that the attention is the main giveaway. Taking pictures and sharing them on the display is generally also always fun and welcome.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Best Pho ever

A hidden gem on the way! Hungry and longing for something warm, we found this little authentic and atmospheric pho place, passing a little town on our way to Meo Vac. Everything was prepared freshly and the lady showed us proudly how she produces the rice noodles. Looking at the picture of the delicious soup even now makes my mouth water.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

On the road again with stunning scenery and curious kids. This strange foreigners are probably their main attraction.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

An interesting place for wedding pictures.

Vietnam - North and South

Day 3 - Meo Vac to DonG Van

Beside the scenery, the Sunday markets in Meo Vac and Dong Van are the top highlights of the region, with a great authentic market atmosphere. The whole region seems to gather in the streets, doing business and using the opportunity to socialize. Many women are dressed up in the colorful clothes of their tribes. The markets are a melange of the different ethnic groups in the north like the Red Dao, Black Dao, Hmong and others.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

The stunning Ma Pi Leng Pass. The 20 km road form Meo Vac to Don Van is one of the most scenic parts in the Ha Giang - Meo Vac - Dong Van Loop.

Vietnam - North and South

Detour to the northern flag pole. Obviously it's a patriotic duty for young Vietnamese people to visit this place. I met some that came all the way from Hanoi on motorcycle in just one day. Expect a around three hours roundtrip to / from Don Van.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Day 4 - Dong Van Back to Ha Giang

Oh boy, so far we had been lucky with the weather. But this should become a rainy and cold day. Unfortunately with 150 km to go also the day with the longest driving distance. Nevertheless, even in this weather the scenery has its charm.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Back in Ha Giang

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Phú Quốc

Vietnam - North and South

PHÚ QUỐC - Quo Vadis?

Not a question anymore, as the government already decided to develop this island into a mass tourist destination. An international airport is already in place, bringing in more and more tourists from China, South Korea, Russia and Singapore. Everywhere in the north west and south, new resorts pop up, limiting the public access and road view to beaches. Villages are relocated in order to provide space for even more hotels. Four lane roads are being built, by the time mainly used by a couple of scooters and the building trucks.

A new cable car connects a casino resort on a small islands offshore Phu Quoc. There is an amusement park including a Disney Land-like castle and a zoo. The latter lost more than 1,000 birds and 700 mammals, including 20 giraffes, due to wrong treatment. Many animals like rhinos are said to be from questionable origin. 500 monkeys escaped, so did the manager who fled abroad.

A couple of years ago, Phu Quoc used to be a dreamy backpackers destination, with charming fishing villages, long empty beaches and a laid-back atmosphere. This time is gone...

Vietnam - North and South

Kikis COCONUT Beach Resort

There are many options to stay on the island, from luxurious beach resorts to little pensions. I generally prefer quiet and personal places run directly by the owners. I like the family atmosphere and often good excursion tips you get from this places. Kikis Coconut Beach Resort is exactly such a place, with just three spotless clean bungalows in a beautiful setting and run by a charming Vietnamese / Swiss couple. We enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, the great food and the always interesting dinner talks with Kiki, her husband Jürg and the other guests. Jürg can tell a lot of interesting stories about the island and generally Vientam. This gives a good insight in daily Vietnamese life on a level which as a tourist you won't experience. Let's say "Vietnam, behind the curtain".

Depending on your preferences, their are only two drawbacks. The water was a bit murky compared to other beaches we've seen and there was a seven km access road in poor condition. Using it in dry condition with a scooter was not too bad, but in wet condition it can get very slippery. Nevertheless road surfacing has startet and will make access much easier in the future (if for good or bad, the future will show, considering the situation in other parts of the island).

Inviting looking hammocks

Sunrise atmosphere

Three charming bungalows

Beach Yoga

Roads

Road to Kikis

Highway without cars

JungLe Walk

The norther part of the island is widely covered by jungle. A big part is officially restricted due to an military base, but this is not strictly enforced. The military is there because of some long-lasting quarrels with Cambodia about the status of the island. There are no signs nor obvious paths, but Kiki organised a jungle walk with a local guide. The view from the top over the Island is beautiful and the wind perfectly refreshing after the sweaty ascent of about one hour. Highly recommended.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Suối Tranh Waterfall

I read some comments about the waterfall saying there was lots of rubbish around. I can't confirm. Not sure if they had changed anything. There is a small entrance fee and the whole area is beautifully maintained, including flower gardens, seating areas and a good jungle path to the waterfall (around 20 min. walk). The fall is not big but quite scenic and and offers a refreshing swim. It was not that busy around 10:00 a.m., but considering the size of the parking lot I assume it can get very busy, so better go early and probably avoid weekends.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

PHÚ QUỐC Prison

An example how creative human beings can be when torturing each other.

Originally built by french colonists, the prison was used during the Vietnam war by the American-supported anti-communists in the south. 4,000 prisoners died during that time in the prison. 45 different types of torture were common in the prison, many are illustrated with life size puppets. Free entrance and interesting, but maybe not for the faint-hearted.

Vietnam - North and South

Tiger cage

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Chùa Hộ Quốc Temple

A nice new temple and worth the short detour.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Sao Beach

Sao Beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. We were told that the best access is via the Paradiso Beach Club. There is a consumption fee, but it's not too high. Sun lounges and umbrellas cost extra. A nice spot to hang out a while.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Làng Chài Hàm Ninh

The little main town on the eastern side is a good place for seafood lovers. There are a couple of open water restaurants at the pier which offer great, fresh and cheap seafood. Choose what you like from their nets and baskets in the water, tell them how you want to have it prepared (steamed, cooked, grilled, etc.) and pay by weight.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

The western Site

On Lang is another nice beach. It's on the western side of the island.

Vietnam - North and South

The Phu Quoc Pepper Farm is another nice detour. There is an interesting and informative tour explaining the pepper growing and beer brewing process. Different kind of pepper products are offered, i.a. pepper tea. Also try their beer and the fantastic milkshakes.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

A scenic jungle drive along the north coast on a good dirt road.

Vietnam - North and South

The Vinepearl Park, the zoo and the huge, close-by resort in the north are best examples how a place loses its paradise status (or may become paradise for another clientele).

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Dinh Cau is the biggest town on Phu Quoc and surprisingly busy. We just visited the day market, which was really interesting to wander around.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Long Beach is the biggest beach on the island. If you are looking for a party beach, this is it. Very busy with many restaurants, bars and hotels. Not my place.

Rorys Beach Bar

The Mekong Delta - Can Tho

Vietnam - North and South

A World of Channels

We stayed at the Nnguyen Shack Can Tho, as we liked the concept of the rusty but charming bungalows already in Ninh Binh. The shack is a couple of km outside Can Tho (take a taxi), right at a water channel. It offers some nice tours to explore the area. We did a street food tour in Can Tho, a bike tour to the countryside around the shack and the floating market tour. I can recommend all of them. Very interesting, enthusiastic guides and reasonably priced.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Can Tho - Street Food Tour

Plenty of fresh food is available in the Mekong Delta. The region is famous for its food variety. The best place to try local goodies like rat, snake, crocodile and frog. Beside the crocodile (tasty but a bit tough in texture) everything was really delicious. Honestly much better than I had thought, well prepared, arranged and tasty. I would not hesitate to eat it again. The transfer to and from Can Tho is by boat. A good opportunity to learn about the channel life. It was pitch black on the way back and it was amazing seeing our boat driver navigating the channels in this circumstance.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Rat

Frog, with and without skin

Pork sausages with herbs, salat, vegetables and pineapple self wrapped in rice paper - yummy!!!

Cobra with vegetables and peanuts

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

The Delta on Bike

Another interesting half day tour was by bike. We visited a local pottery, a nunnery, a rice fabric, a rice wine (happy water) producer, a school, a local doctor and a blacksmith. A great way to learn about the life in the delta.

Vietnam - North and South

A snake catched in a fish trap.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Floating Market

The floating markets in the Mekong Delta and especially around Can Tho are famous and attract many tourists. In the past, the countless channels were the only possibility to move around in this area and accordingly goods were transported by boats, a floating market being the logical consequence. Due to much better road connections nowadays, land markets become more and more popular. Honestly the floating market was interesting but I liked the close-by land market more. The boats are rather big and the goods on them can not be seen very well. Therefore, they are displayed on long sticks at the front of the boat, so potential buyers know what's on sale. Between the bigger boats, smaller boats sell pho, banh mi (sandwiches), coffee and drinks to customers and tourists.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Street Market

The mekong delta is fertile and the number of fresh fruits, vegetables but also sea food and meat is countless, making a market visit a fascinating experience. To my surprise, despite being right on the road, the market we visited was one of the cleanest, with the most beautifully displayed goods I've ever seen in Asian countries. Very charming and mostly yummy, as long as one can stand skinned, beheaded but still moving frogs.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Ho-Chi-Ming City

Vietnam - North and South

Saigon, as it's still often called, is the biggest city in Vietnam with more than seven millions inhabitants. It has a more modern appearance compared to its northern counterpart Hanoi. We stayed right in the centre. Our hostel DyVa Backpacker is the only accommodation of our trip I can't recommend despite its perfect location. Nice rooms but the enourmous noise level from the restaurant downstairs would not let us sleep until late night, even on the second floor.

The Bitexco Financial Tower, the highest building in Vietnam, offers a great view over the city. There is a Skydeck, but the Heineken World which had just opened offered the same view for almost the same price but including a couple of ice-cold beers and a tour about Heineken. A no-brainer.

Vietnam - North and South

Bitexco Financial Tower

Vietnam - North and South

City Hall

Street Food Tour

Again in my opinion the best way to get an first overview of a city in Vietnam. This time we did the tour by scooter, which is great in Saigon, as the city is more widespread. We booked the tour with Xo Tours. Not a bargain for 75 US$ but perfectly organised. We were picked up from the hotel by our guides. Xo only works with female drivers, as they have the reputation to be the safer drivers. And indeed our charming ladies spoke fluent English and brought us safely through the crazy Saigon traffic, visiting five different districts on the way. The tour was a combination of sightseeing and food tasting. Really nice and highly recommended.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

All kinds of food! My favourite were the soups, crab and wonderful tasty mussels. The most challenging was "Balut", an egg with a developing duck embryo. Normally around 17 to 20 days old. The taste is actually quite nice, not strange at all. The yolk tastes like yolk and the embryo like duck. The texture is very soft. So taste-wise not a big deal, as long as you don't think about what you are eating or looking to close to the embryo. At this moment it becomes challenging.

Vietnam - North and South

Saigon Traffic

I had the feeling that there was was even more traffic in Saigon than Hanoi, but somehow it felt also better organised. Red traffic lights were mostly adhered to. So crossing a road was less challenging than in Hanoi.

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Saigon - Last Impressions

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

Vietnam - North and South

The Movie

Depending on your mood, interest or time you can watch this summary movie, the pictures or both. Up to you and I hope you enjoy.

Footnotes

All picture taken with Fuji X-T2 and Sony R100IV

FootNotes

All picture taken with Fuji X-T2 and Sony R100IV

© 2026 Beyond All Maps - Portraits of our Planet by Thorsten Mehret

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