About a week and a half ago (sorry for the delayed post) I got back from my incredible 10-day trip to Vietnam. Our trip began on Friday morning when we flew into Ho Chi Mihn (Saigon) and then continued as we traveled north through Vietnam stopping at Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Ha Noi, and the Halong Bay.

In Ho Chi Mihn city we explored the War Memorial Museum (it was really interesting to learn about the Vietnam War from another perspective), market, and had a boat ride up the Saigon River. The following morning we flew to Nha Trang (a beach town) where I was able to eat snake, crocodile, and wild boar – snake was my favorite. 

We spent Sunday on a boat tour of the islands surrounding Nha Trang. After cruising, swimming, and exploring our beautiful surroundings, our captain then declared that our boat was going to engage in a “cultural exchange” – karaoke. Chris (New Zealand) did a haka, Carmela (Canada) was forced to sing Celine Dion, and somehow I ended up singing Backstreet Boys. The day was good fun all around, and then we boarded the night bus for a not-so-restful night aboard a sleeper bus to get to Hoi An.

We arrived in Hoi An really early in the morning and began the day with some street hawker noodles – they were delicious! In fact, all the food in Vietnam was great!! Then the girls and I went shopping because Hoi An is well known for its tailoring. It seemed like every 2nd shop was a tailoring place. After shopping, we went on a bike ride around the surrounding area and it was stunning.

In Hue we went on a tour of the citadel, tombs, and Perfume River. It was ok but was one of the most expensive days (I think we spend $20 USD – a small fortune in Vietnam!).

While in Ha Noi went to Ho Chi Mihn's mausoleum, the Prisoner's Museum, walked around the Old Quarter, and went to the Temple of Literature (Vietnam’s first university). We then went to the Halong Bay where we spent 2 days and one night on a junk boat. It was an incredible experience. The scenery was breathtaking and we were able to explore the caves, go swimming, and kayaking. It was one of my favorite experiences of the trip.

At the end of our trip we came to the conclusion that we preferred around the small towns rather than the big cities. The cities are just so big and busy that it is hard to get a real sense of anything.