Travel opens your heart , broadens your mind and fills your life with stories to tell !
This is our story from Vietnam and in short its memorable and a very
versatile one as Vietnam has so many things to offer .
Variety of things to see
& the food is usually what makes us zero in on our destination and Vietnam has been on our mind since sometime
now so we decided to go in November, 2019
When we told people we are off to Vietnam , many asked how come you choose Vietnam with a mild surprise
on their faces ?
That’s when we realized Vietnam is not very popular with the Indian tourists
as much as Thailand , Dubai or Bali but
for us we had fallen in love before we even went to Vietnam through the many food and travel shows we watch , the more we
researched to form our itinerary more we wanted to go there .
After 10 full days there we can safely say it was better than what we
expected .
We surely left a piece of our heart in Vietnam & can’t wait to go back already .
Why you should read this Blog Post :
We did a lot of research ( a aaa Lot - read tons of blogs , watched a lot of videos and of course the many culinary shows we always watch ), planned and booked it fully on our own for that perfect holiday with a bit of everything . So This blog post will surely help you plan your trip to Vietnam as it has lot of tips in there, So read on .
Big question :How Many days to plan?
Let me start of by telling you that 10 full days is very less to
explore the length & breadth of Vietnam as it’s a long country with lot to
offer
Same itinerary as ours but 11 – 12 full days would be ideal and comfortably paced
for your 1st trip to this wonderful country .
However since we had never gone on a holiday for more than 9 days
, we were a bit skeptical so decided to kept it to 10- 11 days and cover the
highlights.
Next : What is the Budget?
We ended up spending 60 K per person for everything .
One can easily cut down the expenses if you stay at cheaper Airbnbs & Homestays , we did not compromise on location as that was the key for us . we wanted to be near the buzz so its easily walk able and yet most of our stay(All airbnb & Homestay/small hotels) costed 1500 Rs per night which is so less compared to India.
One can easily cut down the expenses if you stay at cheaper Airbnbs & Homestays , we did not compromise on location as that was the key for us . we wanted to be near the buzz so its easily walk able and yet most of our stay(All airbnb & Homestay/small hotels) costed 1500 Rs per night which is so less compared to India.
Also if you can sacrifice some luxuries like Private airport
transfers , first class train travel , 3 star overnight cruise
in Halong bay, few fancy meals & Spa it will work out lot
less , but I wouldn’t recommend it as 60,000 is a
very reasonable price for a comfortable
international trip with some luxuries thrown In.
Our Itinerary : Versatile Vietnam in 10 Days
10 days itinerary is perfect for people with less time on hand,
for people who want to check out the highlights as well as do a bit of the - off
the beaten path sights.
Day 1 : Arrive in Hanoi early morning , explore the Neighborhood & go on a food tour in the evening (Highly Recommend a Food Tour In vietnam ).
Day 2 : Hanoi Sight Seeing
Day 3 : Hanoi – Explore Street food , Coffee Culture & shopping in Old Quater
Day 4 : Halong bay cruise
Day 5 : Halong Bay city to Ninh Binh Provence
Day 6 : Ninh Binh Siteseeing , Overnight Train to Danang
For Central & South Vietnam Itinerary , Stay Tuned to Part 2
Destination 1 - Hanoi – Min Recommended 3 Days .
Capitol of Vietnam , One city in that country you should not miss
Hanoi is charming , dotted with lakes & greenery ,
quaint old worldly & modern Vietnam coexist so beautifully .You will hear
no honking even in traffic ,what a pleasure it was to our ears
& mostly how warm & friendly the people were.
Architecture & culture influenced by Chinese & French due
to colonization in the past .
A city we could live in !
Recommend you to stay in the old quarter or French quarter in
Hanoi to experience the local vibes & be near to all the action.
We chose a airbnb at the edge of French quarter
end of old quarter as we wanted to stay a bit away from the busy old quarter
yet easily walk able to the
central Hoan Kiem lake .
Our Airbnb Link : ( Well Equipped , Perfect Location )
https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/37728334?s=2&sharer_id=290878025&unique_share_id=3353211f-aa75-45cf-9d59-259a9ed513ab
5 Must see / Do:
Our Airbnb Link : ( Well Equipped , Perfect Location )
https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/37728334?s=2&sharer_id=290878025&unique_share_id=3353211f-aa75-45cf-9d59-259a9ed513ab
5 Must see / Do:
1. Hoan Kiem lake – In
the early morning as well as in the evening
Calm yet buzzing , well maintained , The old quater is around the lake , Beautiful Ngoc Son Pagoda is in the center of the Lake not to be missed either very early morning or during sunset.Try to stay walk-able to the lake (within a km )
2. Temple of Literature
First
national University of Vietnam and dedicated to Confucius .Go here
early Morning or Evening to avoid large travel bus crowds
3.Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake Area
Beautiful
Pagoda , Go by Sunset and spend your evening by the many hip cafes
restaurants there facing the lake or stroll along the lake
4. St josephs Cathedral
Such a beautiful cathedral , Perfect for a evening stroll in that
neighborhood to explore the shops and cafes
5. Shopping & Eating in old
quarter
Food Tour (Highly recommend you to take one - Perfect for the 1st day ,
( we chose Secret Food tours - a local guide will walk you to local hot spots in the
Old quarter and have you try many specialties .Its not a fixed route or dishes so its fun .
Surely one of the highlights since we got to experience a lot of local unheard of places
with great food , you will be stuffed with goodness and you get to meet other
travelers so check them out )
Old quarter and have you try many specialties .Its not a fixed route or dishes so its fun .
Surely one of the highlights since we got to experience a lot of local unheard of places
with great food , you will be stuffed with goodness and you get to meet other
travelers so check them out )
Bier Street - what a vibe plus just the place to find good nibbles with your local beer.
Dont miss it
Dont miss it
Night Market - if you are there over the weekend- i have heard the old quarters
fully transformers into a vehicle free zone and you can do some souvenir shopping
and eat from street stalls (You can do that on other days too but the shops are a
bit spread out and mostly active in the evenings )
and eat from street stalls (You can do that on other days too but the shops are a
bit spread out and mostly active in the evenings )
Destination 2 – Ha long Bay – Must do a 1 night Cruise. If possible 2 Night .
Thousands of Towering Limestone islets rising from emerald
green waters of Gulf of Tonkin Pick a 3 star and above Cruise for a nice cruising experience .
The price for a one night
can vary between 10,000 – 30,000
The cruise company you choose will pick you up early from Hanoi and get
you on the cruise ship by noon .
Don’t expect to relax on the cruise it is pretty packed but
you will have a experience of a lifetime !
Must do :
- Don’t miss the 15 min tai chy class in the early morning
while cruising by the islets , the early
morning sun shine adds a charm ,
- Try kayaking if you are gutsy.
- Ensure you Cruise takes you for a Cave Visit and all the activities is included in the price .
We chose Swan cruises for the below reasons
- Cruise Route :
- Bai Thu long bay , less crowded than Halong bay
- Pricing is more affordable , may not have the luxuries like bath
tub or big rooms like modern boats but it’s a traditional junk boat
- 4 course set meals & all the activities like other boats
Destination 3 : Ninh Binh -
Recommended 2 days
Vietnam's First Capital .
We contemplated for the longest time if we should go
to sapa rice terraces or Ninh binh .
as Ninh binh is similar to halong bay
, its called halong bay on land we deliberated a lot
But Since I heard about the
place I just couldn’t get myself to give it up . Still did a lot of research
and rearranged our plans to accommodate ninh binh as I felt we
couldn’t be satisfied with the beautiful
karst mountains by 1 busy day of cruising , so we deciced to go to Ninh Binh
for a day and glad we did . It was
surely our most memorable & favourite day in Vietnam . we really wished to
have stayed a day extra ! So we would recommend you to make it 2 days .
Our Airbnb Link : (Wonderful Host & Family , Cafeteria Available , Very close to Trang An)
https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/18304754?s=2&sharer_id=290878025&unique_share_id=863bc1d7-d9d8-4ac4-8ed9-530da6a088fc
Our Airbnb Link : (Wonderful Host & Family , Cafeteria Available , Very close to Trang An)
https://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/18304754?s=2&sharer_id=290878025&unique_share_id=863bc1d7-d9d8-4ac4-8ed9-530da6a088fc
Must Do :
Trang An boat ride - Early morning this place is so scenic and whimsical . The most scenic place i have ever been to
Hoa Lu Citadel
Bich Dong Pagoda - Dont Miss this Pagoda , One of a kind spread across three different levels
Ride around the area -stopping at rice fields and other scenic spots , Ninh Binh Has many !
Ride around the area -stopping at rice fields and other scenic spots , Ninh Binh Has many !
If Time permits Hang Mua caves
To Summarise :
This draws an end to our Northern Viet experience .
What a memorable one and surely a big chunk of your time in
Vietnam you should alot to this region .
You can choose to add Sapa up
north from Hanoi or follow our itinerary
but spend more time in Halong bay/ninh binh .
Part 2 will cover our itinerary and must do from there Central & South
Stay Tuned
You can also find day wise stories in our Insta Highlights #beinvietnam
On https://www.instagram.com/bangalorexpress
You can Get Rs 3025 Airbnb Credit by signing up Via this link here
Happy Travels
Till the Next time ,
Love ,
Bangalorexpress
Love ,
Bangalorexpress
Thanks .Good info
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