Vientiane to Vietnam

Ok, another update. This describes our first week in Vietnam after arriving in Hanoi from Vientiane, Laos. We went to Ha Long Bay and are now in Sapa, north west of Hanoi.

Back in Vientiane

After returning from Vang Vieng, we spent one more night in Vientiane before taking the overnight bus to Hanoi. This wait was not all bad. In fact, it let us experience the daytime festivities of Lao New Year: Lao people running around with water guns, buckets, and water bombs with the goal of soaking everything and everyone—irrespective of whether they wore suits or carried babies.

Traditionally Lao people would wet Buddhas with coloured water, but now the focus is people. Many drive around on the backs of utes as “elite hit squads” with water held in plastic swimming pools drenching unsuspecting pedestrians. Others man permanent “bases” that guard “key infrastructure” such as minimarts and street corners, and are supported by hoses.

All in all, people were happy, but wet. Tourists joined in and soaked up the enthusiasm exuded by the locals.

Entry into Vietnam

After drying off, we joined our overnight sleeper bus to Hanoi. Like a high-tech dorm room on wheels, this Vietnamese bus had three rows of bunk beds, TV screens, a toilet that flushed automatically, and multi-coloured lights that turned on and off seemingly at random. Bedding was supplied and there were numerous stops along the way.

The bus was full: about 10 foreigners and 20 Vietnamese / Lao. We got our beds early, but others were not so lucky. One Vietnamese man was forced to sleep on the floor, while another was forced to sleep on a shelf between Claire and me. There were arguments with the bus driver and a lot of confusion, but finally we left.

Now, you might think that a bus intending to cross a border would get there when it was open. Not our bus. Instead, we arrived at the Laos-Vietnam border at 1 am and waited until 7 am when it opened. Not only does this waste six hours of valuable travel time, but it also means that there is a build up of tourist buses and lorries at the border.

Thankfully the border crossing was simple. There was an oversupply of Vietnamese officials in green hats with red trim, but they were friendly. It took some time for our bus to clear quarantine as it was laden with boxes and other mysterious packages and the officials were diligent. Naturally, we had to pay bribes or ‘stamp fees’ to cross the border—10,000 dong on the Lao side and US$1 on the Vietnamese side.

After about an hour we were on the road again; this time enjoying the Vietnamese scenery of rice paddies, mountain ranges separated by cascading rivers, and small towns and villages. The ubiquitous red with yellow-starred Vietnamese flag flew from most buildings and there were many motorbikes.

At hour 24 we arrived in Hanoi at night.

Hanoi

Staying two nights, we spent one day exploring Hanoi’s Old Quarter before heading to Ha Long Bay.

What a buzz. Hanoi is full of motorbikes that beep out of habit if not to warn of their impending approach. Road rules are flexible, but accidents seem rare—the system works. There are lights, many small lakes, and locals playing badminton and practising tai chi.

The Old Quarter is easy to navigate on foot—although manoeuvring around motorbikes parked on the nicely paved footpaths was a bit of an art. The crowded streets are lined with shops selling all sorts, from counterfeit money and clothing, to hand-carved gravestones and herbs, to squirming fish and chunky frogs. Blacksmiths, jewellers, and artisans each have their own corners, while hawkers offer pineapples and deep-fried rice.

There are also interesting historical sites, such as the Ngoc Son Temple, the Huc Bridge, Martyrs’ Monument, and the Old East Gate.

The next day we set off to Ha Long Bay as part of a two day tour with AST Travel.

Ha Long Bay

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay consists of almost 2000 limestone islands that jut out of the sea at impossible angles. Popular with tourists, the bay is known as the bay of descending dragons.

Our tour of the bay was on an imitation wooden Chinese junk designed for tourists. Slow and comfortable, it was like a three-storied floating hotel complete with a sun deck and TV. We slept and ate deep-fried Vietnamese food on the junk. At other times we jumped from the top of the junk into the semi-polluted water that separates the islands.

Our itinerary around the bay included a magical “Heaven Palace” cave filled with artificially-coloured lights and a short kayak trip. Unfortunately our itinerary wasn’t unique as there were over 200 other junks offering similar experiences—each stopping at the same time for lunch, anchoring at the same spot for night, and visiting the same attractions.

After day two, the tour ended in Hanoi where we waited for a 10-hour overnight train to Lao Cai—the gateway to the hill town of Sapa in north west Vietnam.

Sapa

A place for trekking and exploring hill tribe villages, Sapa was a popular holiday spot for the French during their occupation of Vietnam. This history is prevalent everywhere. French-styled buildings, parks, and lakes separate the narrow winding streets. Bakeries offer baguettes and cakes and cafes house a collection of French and Vietnamese wines.

Tourism is everywhere too. Shops sell tours and North Face outdoor gear. Numerous hotels hog spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and rice-paddy-filled valleys. Female villagers hawk silver and hand-woven trinkets of various colours and patterns, while male motorbike riders offer trips to tired walkers.

We arrived early yesterday in this quaint little town from Lao Cai. We spent the day exploring the streets and visiting a nearby Hmong—pronounced mong—village with its small huts separated by terraced rice paddies, bamboo, and mountain streams. The villages smiled and were unconcerned by our presence. I even got to swim with the local Hmong kids.

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Well, that brings us up to date. We have one more day in Sapa. Tonight we take an overnight train back to Hanoi and then another to Da Nang, near Hoi An.

xxx