This summary will be longer and you know why? No? It’s just because I have used another kind of transport. My trip was different. Let me explain…
Saigon to Hanoi: 3,000km in motorbike!
I have crossed the border between Cambodia and Vietnam on Chau Doc. Here, I have just spent 2 nights to enjoy the small river in the Delta of Mekong. The place is like a national park where you take a boat to chill in the middle of the mangrove. Very peaceful and quiet.
Saigon… Saigon… the economic capital. There are absolutely nothing to see and to do. You can go outside take a drink and enjoy the main street for a night, but after that… Only 1 thing to do. Expensive, maybe but a good thing: buy a motorbike. If you have more than 3 weeks to travel in Vietnam, you can cross the country by motorbike, it’s the best kind of transport.
So now, I will present my trip in motorbike.
Saigon – Hue: a south disappointing
The first day trip was really awesome but so tired. 7 hours to drive before arriving on Dalat. 7 hours in the middle of few mountains and the last hour during the night. A bit hard for a first day. The city of Dalat is really beautiful with some parks and a big lake. Around the city, you can see a strong waterfall and amazing landscapes in the mountains.
After Dalat, I have spent 1 night in Nha Trang. Bullshit. A beach city full of Russian tourists and big buildings. I have lost my time here.
Sometimes the road is short and sometimes very long… From Nha Trang to Hoi An you need 2 days driving! Of course, the way is really awesome along the beach, but 2 days… I am really happy to see Hoi An.
The old town of Hoi An is very cute with all these old yellow houses, the small river, the wood bridges… But, like lot of good places in Vietnam, there are too many tourists.
Close to Hoi An (less than 1h) you can see the Marble Mountain. This mountain hide a treasure: caves and temples. Inside and on the summit, it’s possible to find lot of Buddha statues, pagodas, caves and some wonderful things.
Few kilometres in the north (after an amazing way) you have Hue, a big city with a large citadel in the middle. There is only the citadel to see. It’s a good one but not unmissable.
Now you see, after Dalat, Marble Mountain, maybe Hoi An, there are not lot of things to do in the south part of Vietnam.
Hue – Hanoi: just amazing
I have drove a day before to arrive on Dong Hoi, the closest city of Paradise Cave. Nothing to do in this city, just chill and enjoy your time with local people, no tourists there. The day after, let’s see the biggest cave in the world. So huge and impressive, I have never seen that before.
Let’s continue the road to Ninh Binh. It’s like a small Ha Long Bay. You put yourself on a bark, and during 1h30 you navigate between some big rocks/mountains/hills. I don’t know how I can call these things. During the noon everybody lunch, so it’s the perfect time for this short cruise.
After the kid, the dad! The true Ha Long Bay. Please, don’t book a cruise. There are like 60 boats with 30 passengers inside, who start in the same time and use the same itinerary. That’s why you see the rocks of the bay but also many boats. Another way is possible and cheapest.
On Ha Long Bay, the worst to do is to take the ferry from the pier to Cat Ba, a small island in the middle of the bay. When you take the ferry (1h), you cross Ha Long Bay and you can see the rocks without boats around. Also, the island is just majestic, a kind of jungle with mountains and rice fields.
But Ha Long Bay is not the best area of Vietnam. The must to see is in the north of Hanoi. I have spent 6 days there.
2 days in Sa Pa to live in a minority village H’mong with Vuvi and her family. Was wonderful to stay in this homestay in the middle of rice fields and other kind of plantations. A journey all inclusive (accommodation, food and day trekking) for 20$, not too bad.
6 days everywhere and nowhere close to the Chinese border. In this area the landscape is just amazing with lot of mountains, small villages, farms and… was just Wahoo!
And Hanoi, the politic capital, to finish this trip. This city is better than Saigon. There are a lot of history and the old town, when it’s closed for cars and motorbikes, is very enjoyable. Contrary to Saigon, there are more than one street to take a drink and to enjoy the nightlife. It’s also in this city that I have sell my motorbike. Thanks for the trip, you’re was perfect!
And that’s it. The summary of my Vietnamese trip. A bit longer but so nice !