After a short stopover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia we finally arrived at Hanoi Airport. We had to pick up our visa at the customs office which only took about 30 minutes and US$ 25 per person (not bad if you compare that to other customs offices around the world). From the airport it was about an hour drive to our small boutique hotel in the centre of Hanoi. The weather was really nice and we couldn't wait to explore the city.

Hanoi is a typical (former communist) and chaotic (mainly the traffic, watch out otherwise you will be run-over) Asian city. The city is not that large and if you like walking you can visit all the main attractions on foot. Of course there are also a lot of cheap taxis and motorised tuk-tuk's. In the city centre you can enjoy the monuments, parks and a variety of buildings, narrow streets and markets. There is a backpackers street which hosts some good bars and restaurants and where you can meet a variety of people. The French residential area hosts some more fine dining restaurants and on the outskirts of the city centre you can visit the mausoleum, Hanoi tower and war museum. We have spent two full days in the city which was good enough to enjoy the Hanoi experience.

We left Hanoi in the morning to drive to Halong Bay. Halong Bay is not far from Hanoi but it will take a few hours to get there (traffic jams are quite common). About 30 minutes from our destination a large truck rammed the left side of our car at low speed. Nobody was wounded but the car was damaged severely. Our agent took care of the matter and arranged a ride for us (actually we just pulled over a small tourist van which had some room left). Now we needed to hurry up because the boats in Halong Bay will not delay their departure for more than 30 minutes. Luckily we were not the last ones to arrive at the boat.

We did not spend any time in the city of Halong Bay because we went on a two-day cruise on a traditonal Junk. In Halong Bay this is the best way to explore and enjoy the area. The landscape is defined by the Karst mountains which run into the ocean at the Vietnamese coast. The effect is many very steep islands with a lot of caves en beautiful formations. The views are stunning especially during twilight. The accommodation on the boat was really good and the traditional meals were excellent. During this trip we visited one of the caves, enjoyed swimming and did a small boatrip to a hidden bassin. After the two days we returned to Hanoi and took a train to Sapa.

We shared a sleeping wagon with two other people. The train was comfortable enough (generally better then the Chinese trains) but airconditioning is still a western luxury. Even in shorts and a t-shirt it was too warm (over 35 Celcius). Therefore it took quite a while before we could finally sleep and the train arrived in Sapa at 0530 in the morning. Sapa is located in the mountains in the north of Vietnam. This small city is perfectly situated in a valley surrounded by waterfalls and traditional villages and markets. During a couple of days with did a lot of hiking and visited some of the villages, markets and waterfalls. This is where you can experience the old and traditional ways of living in Vietnam. Sapa itself is more modern with an old historic centre and has a variety of markets, shops, bars and restaurants.

On the second evening we experienced a tropical thunderstorm which made it rain for several hours and caused a power black-out during that period. Luckily enough we were dining in a small restaurant with some friends we've met (they were from our hometown). We were in a dry place and electricity was switched with candle light. Of course paying by creditcard was no option at that moment :) That's why you always need to bring some cash. After an exhausting three days we took the train back to Hanoi and flew to Hue.

From Hanoi we arrived in Hue which breathes a subtropical atmosphere. Hue is a vibrant city with a lot of sights and good places to eat and go out. On one of the days we took a tour on the Perfume river which made it possible to visit Minh Mang Tomb and the Thien Mu Pagoda. Hue itself has an ancient citadel which looks like a forbidden city. Beautiful temples and a chance to see elephants. On the other side of the city (across the river) you will find nice hotels, a backpackers street and a good nightlife. We have met a lot of great people in that area and some of them we have met again somewhere during our traveling. The DMZ bar and the Hue Backpackers' Hostel (also a bar and cafe) are great places to enjoy your evening.

Da Nang was just a short stopover on our way to Hoi. Da Nang is a modern city which has less scenic atmosphere as the other cities we've encoutered on our trip. We visited the Cham Sculpture Museum which actually is worth seeing but it doesn't take you long to walk through the small museum. They have quite a nice collection of good preserved sculptures from the Cham era (ancient Vietnam with similarities to the Cambodian Khmer). From Da Nang we traveled by car to Hoi An.

Hoi An was our "beach" destination for this trip. Just a few days of sunshine and pure relaxation. We stayed at the Hoi An resort (10 min. by car to Hoi An) which was at walking distance from the beach. The weather was fantastic with temperature around 35 degrees Celcius. Hoi An itself has a historic city centre and a enjoyable market. Hoi An is also the place to get cheap custom made clothing (especially dresses and suits). During our visit we met some friends from Sapa (Dutch) and from Hue (English). We went sightseeing for one day and enjoyed the rest of the time near the giant swimming pool and beach (of course with cocktails, great food and even live music).

From Hoi An we flew to Saigon (nowadays known as HCMC). This is a modern skyscraper city with an oriental touch. There is a really nice Vietnam War museum which gives you a more objective view as the one we have seen in Hanoi. In the city centre there are some old buildings left e.g. the post office (with portrait of Ho Chi Minh) and the Notre Dame.

Saigon is also a good place to enjoy upscale shopping malls (Diamond Plaza) or a local market (Ben Thanh Market). A 10-15 min. walk from the Ben Thanh market will get you to the tourist area with lots of bars, restaurants and affordable places to stay. Some of these bars may look a little dodgy (especially late at night) but these are really enjoyable. Also a good place to meet people. More local establishments are situated throughout the city.

For those Hard Rock Cafe fans (yes I do like it too!) the Kumho Asiana Plaza (not far from Diamond Plaza) is where you can find it. It is situated on the outside of the large building.

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