Hanoi to Ha Long

We spent a week in Northern Vietnam in the capital city of Hanoi and the outlying towns of Ninh Bình and Ha Long bay. Staying in Hanoi was an adventure on its own with its endless supply of scooters and motorcycles on the road. The streets seem to function in this somewhat organized chaos that only locals could understand. Stop lights and lanes are mere suggestions rather than signs to follow. Nobody stops for pedestrians crossing the road, everyone seems to drive around them like salmon continuing to swim upstream. Crossing the streets of Hanoi requires a leap of faith, sometimes you just have to go and hope you make it to the end. Most of the times we crossed the road, I felt like I had to trust the drivers not to hit us. Yet somehow, it all works out in the end and we’re still alive and filled with adrenaline.

Aside from our adventures with traffic, our time in Northern Vietnam went by too quickly. The food, the locals, and the sites are reasons why we would visit this country again. The Vietnamese were one of the friendliest people we’ve encountered during our trip. The service we received everywhere we went was spectacular, from hotels to restaurants. Even locals who had difficulty speaking English would often try and speak to us to get to know us. The city of Hanoi is vibrant and full of life. We stayed in the Old Quarter and on weekend evenings, hundreds of people hangout around Hoàn Kiếm Lake. We found groups of people dancing, exercising, singing… you name it. A few of our highlights included eating Bún Chả, drinking Vietnamese coffee, feeling the train buzz past our faces in the very narrow Train Street, and people watching around the lake.

The rest of our time was spent exploring Ninh Binh and taking a brief cruise to Ha Long Bay. Paddling through Tam Coc river and enjoying the views in Hang Mua Peak during sunset is a must when visiting Ninh Binh. Not to mention seeing the spectacular limestone cliffs that jut out from the ground. Another more popular limestone destination was Ha Long Bay, which was the initial reason I wanted to visit Northern Vietnam. Being surrounded by countless limestone islands, rainforests, and emerald waters felt ethereal and serene. The peace that came with the quietness of nature that surrounded us was accompanied by the fun people we met on the cruise. For a brief time we were friends who shared stories and experiences with one another. It was a great reminder of how much we’ve missed living in community with others.

As the Christmas holidays approach, we’ve made our way to the Philippines for some much needed family time… the halfway point in our travels. This will be my last post until the new year and so for those reading, we wish you all the best over the holidays! It’s a bit odd celebrating Christmas in 30-degree weather and seeing Christmas lights on palm trees but having spent a few days in Manila, I think we’re starting to get used to it. We miss you all and we’ll see you in the new year!