Vietnam

Visited: October 1999

Duration of stay: 23 days

Capital city: Hanoi

Population: 78.50 million (1999)

Estimated reading time: 22 minutes

• After three months in China, the biggest novelty in Vietnam was delicious French baguette.
• From ancient temples, markets and centuries-old architecture to the impact of French and Chinese influence in the capital
• Modern, fast growing and noisy economic center of Vietnam: Saigon – Ho Chi Min City,
• The most annoying people pushing to buy all kind of products or services at any opportunity.
• Mai Chau valley – a harmony between nature, heaven, earth and people
• Learning about the atrocities of Vietnam War in The Museum of American Horrors from the War.
• Most of the backpackers prefer organized, inexpensive tours, which include exclusive buses, foreign orientated hotels at low cost.

I didn’t have any particular expectations about Vietnam after months of exploring amazing China. It would be surprising to find something more spectacular, varied or unique. At that time Vietnam was more developed from a tourist perspective and locals were keen on overcharging foreign visitors at any possible opportunity.

Vietnam was part of my Asian Big Tour from Australia, through Southeastern Asia and China to India. During this 15-months long trip I visited most of the countries in the region and spent over three weeks travelling around Vietnam from north to south.

From ancient towns, UNESCO World heritage sites, beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine to the 20- years long war, Vietnam offers a remarkable range of reasons to visit it. Over 2,000 rivers flow through its breathtaking landscapes, the most iconic ones being Mekong River in the south and Red River in the north.

The deltas of these rivers are crucial for the agricultural regions around the country, sustaining communities, connecting them and strongly impacting on transport routes along the waterways, as well as culture or lifestyle. The variety of the Vietnamese is reflected by multiethnicity with 54 ethnic groups recognized by the government. Each ethnic group has its own language and culture.

Vietnamese food has strong impact from neighboring countries, but there are two main dishes that became so widespread around the world, that are not even translated to English language: banh mi and pho.

Pho is a comforting rice noodle soup in a savory broth with chicken or beef, enriched by fresh herbs. A vegetarian alternative with tofu was my only choice. Banh mi is a sandwich made of a loaf of bread with the filling of three main components: meat (roasted pork, barbecue or grilled pork), vegetables (cucumber, carrot, cilantro) and sauce (chili, tomato or soy sauce). Both dishes are eaten at any time of the day, but especially for breakfast.

As a vegetarian, I had some harsh times to find non-meat food, even though vegetarianism is habitually practiced to support prayers and wishes. Buddhist monks and nuns abstain from animal foods. Regular people are part-time vegetarians on specific days of each lunar months.

Vietnam was under French control from the mid-1800s to the 1950s. The French influence still reflects in food, legal and education systems, language and especially in the architecture of Hanoi and Saigon. The majority of foreign group tourists that I met, were from France, always following local guides in their native language and offering tremendous tips.

After the World War II, Vietnam was split in two parts – the south part, with Saigon as a capital, backed by French and the north, with capital of Hanoi, governed by a political leader Ho Chi Minh—inspired by Chinese and Soviet communism. Both sides wanted a unified Vietnam, but under different concepts: the north was opting for communist organization, while the south preferred Western capitalism.

With the Cold War intensifying worldwide, the United States hardened its policies against any allies of the Soviet Union. The conflict transformed into a cruel war, which represents the darkest and most famous era of Vietnam’s history.

The 20-year long fighting between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and South Vietnam, backed by the United States and other anti-communist nations, took place between 1955 and 1975.

The war ended with the Fall of Saigon in 1975, when North Vietnam captured the southern capital.

Finally, Vietnam was unified under communist rule. The war ravaged the country, claimed millions of lives, and had a major impact on world politics. More than 3 million people were killed in the Vietnam War, majority of whom were Vietnamese civilians.

After crossing overland border without any issues, but with plenty of paperwork, the first moto taxis proved the perception of a scam. I agreed to be transported to the village of Lang Son, that was approximately 25 kilometers distant. Less than three kilometers later, the driver stopped, convincing me that this was the final destination. I simply ignored the moto-taxi driver, surprised with his explanation and switched to a real taxi that drove me the rest of the trip to the final destination.

The next morning was the first real opportunity to get in touch with the vibrancies of real Vietnam.

Motorbike engines were buzzing like a swarm of flies.

Many bikers are dressed in green military clothing, motorcycle taxi drivers use military helmets. The offer of fruits at a local market reminds me on the variety available in China, except of a more tropical flavor and smaller variation. The fertile soil and favorable climate nurture these crops to possess strong, natural flavors.

French baguette represented the greatest added value. Warm, cheap, available everywhere, delicious bread really makes a difference for breakfast. During the first few days I was in heaven, eating bread only with butter. I was completely mesmerized.

I travelled to Hanoi in a small van for 12 people. With the intention of filling the vehicle, the driver cruised through the town of Lang Son for almost an hour. During the tour, we passed my hotel seven times.

The roads in northern Vietnam are in poor condition, winding and dangerous, as everyone drives without proper order, disobeying rules, without precaution. It took us 5 hours to cover a little more than 150 kilometers distance to the capital, including a stop for lunch.

Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous city of Vietnam.

In comparison to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi continues to retain traditional Vietnamese culture, providing a more authentic feel.

More than six decades of French colonization and centuries of influence from China have impacted the designs of the old houses: many examples of glorious French colonial architecture in the form of monuments, cafes or churches are visible around the city: Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Presidential Palace and Long Bien Bridge are some of the most important.

The special architecture award goes to the so-called tube houses – tall, but very narrow up to five story apartment buildings. Because of the property tax, introduced in the 19^th century, based on the width of the building, many houses are extremely narrow. Some as narrow as a bicycle!

The center of Hanoi is the exact opposite of the rapidly developing capitals in Asia. I noticed only two high-rise buildings in downtown, maybe a dozen more in the whole city. The noise, endless crowds of motorbikes, beeping and street vendors start a day very early and finish late in the evening. Despite the fact that I spent quite a few days in the city, I can’t say that I observed many important landmarks.

The most interesting thing to see in Hanoi for me was the Vietnamese Women’s Museum.

By featuring women as its central theme, it promotes gender equality, while presenting the significant roles and contributions of Vietnamese women in the historical and cultural development of Vietnam.

Especially during the war, women position was extremely important, taking care of the household alone, while men were fighting at the front line.

The most surprising fact of Vietnam is a wide range of services dedicated exclusively to foreign tourists: restaurant menus in French or English, prices in dollars, programs for trips to all possible locations around the country. It seems that practically all travelers turn into tourists in Vietnam, traveling in organized groups; both on excursions and also travelling by exclusive tourist buses on intercity routes.

It is true that organized tours are incredibly cheap, also according to many fellow-backpackers, the only way to travel around Vietnam. This way, tourists are separated from the locals, enjoying all the opulence: they travel in comfortable buses, eat in luxury restaurants that the locals can’t afford, do not use public transport around the metropolitan areas, sleep in exclusive hotels or guesthouses.

It reminds me of Bali, except that the Vietnamese people are friendlier.

Naturally, as a deluded traveler, I wanted to resist the system, so instead of taking an organized all-inclusive tour to Mai Chau, I wanted to go on my own, with a local bus. “This is not possible. Public transport is not for tourists!“, the receptionist at the hotel wanted to distract me from my original intentions.

At the beginning the backpacker adventure resembled to a real catastrophe. No one knew, where I could catch a bus to Mai Chau.

I jumped on a tricycle to a recommended bus station, which turned out to be the wrong one, as it was the starting point for transport to the other direction. Following the instructions of the locals, I stood by the main road and waited for a passing bus that was supposed to take me to the northern part of the city.

Later I boarded a bus to Hoa Binh. After a good hour of driving, I disembarked with a friendly smoker 5 kilometers before the final destination. I waited an hour and a half for the connection, and in the meantime, I was invited for a delicious lunch.

Finally, a bus from Hanoi passed by, but it was completely full. Somehow, I squeezed in to stand huddled between the locals for the next two hours.

In Mai Chau I met another adventurous independent backpacker, Pedro, from Spain, who was willing to change inexpensive comfort of all-inclusive tour for complicated, uncomfortable backpacking through Vietnamese countryside. We found an informal accommodation in a family house, elevated on wooden stills above the ground. We calmly negotiated a reasonable price for accommodation and food.

There was one huge room combined with kitchen that was shared among us and owners. Not much luxury nor space in hammock, but far away from the noisy and busy area where tour groups were settled. In the evening, I took a shower in a common open-air bathroom – a cold stream that was passing in front of the house.

Next morning, I walked through the rice paddies and tiny paths to Ban Lac village, beautifully surrounded by gorgeous mountains, pleasant streams and green meadows, creating a pristinely rustic scenery. Rice cultivation and livestock culture are practised among locals to cover their daily needs. The local ethnic group speak Thai language, dress traditional costumes and live in stilted houses with woven bamboo flooring, covered by thatched roofs.

The return to Hanoi was another great experience. I laid down on a sack piled up in the back of the bus, surrounded by bunches of papayas on their way to the market.

Despite their poor knowledge of English, a group of minors wanted to talk to me: “Where are you from?”

I slowly responded about my origins: “I am from Slovenia, from Europe.”

They quickly consulted among themselves and then the bravest among them blurted out: “Maribor, Champions league“.

I almost fell to the ground when I found out that the boys from a small village in Vietnam follow the Champions League and are familiar with the best Slovenian football club from the city of Maribor.

We became friends in a moment. Other passengers shared fruits and sugar cane with us, while I distributed pumpkin seeds and pears. As a big family, we shared the goodies and had fun the rest of the trip.

Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, in the Gulf of Tonkin, is a breathtakingly beautiful area that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Well-known for its many limestone mountains, pristine beaches, mysterious caves and peaceful fishing villages.

Some 1,600 islands and islets featuring spectacular limestone pillars rising from the sea, the eroded notches, arches and grottos, create a picturesque landscape combined with extraordinary seascape.

During Day 1 we were navigating the sea, stopping to appreciate beautiful landscape, eating delicious food, before reaching a cozy hotel in the evening. On Day 2 we visited Sung Sot Cave. The first chamber is adorned by stalagmites and stalactites; the second, larger chamber, with extremely high ceiling, hosts interesting rock formations, reminding on animal shapes.

Hiking up to the top of Titop Island, which includes walking up 450 steps to reach the main viewpoint was not easy, but extremely rewarding. A beautiful view to the bay is well worth the effort.

On Day 3 the official tour was finished, but I decided to extend my stay extra two days on one of the islands. Empty sandy beach offered good relaxation, delicious tropical fruits and warm water. I filled with the energy for further travelling to the south.

Back in Hanoi I rented a motorbike to visit the area of Hoa Lu – Ninh Binh district, famous for green rice paddies, soaring limestone cliffs and underground caves. Only 6.00US$ per day and an extra dollar for a helmet brought the freedom and flexibility that allowed me the thrilling experience of Hanoi traffic and a much more pleasant drive on the countryside.

Some sections of the roads, passing through smaller villages, were covered with rice straw.

On certain parts it was so thick that I couldn’t even see the road surface and I was forced to slow down to avoid an accident.

After three hours of slow driving, I arrived to Tam Loc, where I hired a boat, which took me along the river to three different caves. They were created by the erosion of cliffs over millions of years. The caves are different in size, structure and colors. The most beautiful for me was the second one, Hai Cave, through which we travel on a boat to appreciate stalactites that hang from the cave’s dome. We returned back to the main dock just in time before big tour groups started to arrive.

Night driving in Vietnam is a real nightmare compared to neighboring China. Although it was an exclusive bus, only for foreigners, it offered inappropriate head support. I was uncomfortably switching from one to another impossible position all night. The beeping, the lights and the numerous rundown coaches that overtook us due to the low speed, did not allow me to enjoy a noteworthy rest.

The central part of the country was completely flooded due to heavy rain: entire villages, fields, roads and parts of houses were covered with water. But at first glance, this did not affect the Vietnamese, who are already used to floods during the rainy season. Seasonal activities change from working on the fields to fishing with nets or hooks.

Even though the city of Hue offers some landmarks (Imperial City, pagodas and tombs), the biggest attraction in this central part of the country are the Vinh Moc tunnels, where the locals had taken refuge from the American attacks during the Vietnam War. Fortunately, there were no other tourists at the time of my visit, so the guide was able to dedicate her time to detailly explain the story about people, who huddled in small underground rooms made of clay.

Slowly, but surely, I have been losing expectation for positive surprises in Vietnam. There are no noteworthy attractions in Hoi An either, with the exception of the Ong Pagoda, established in 1653 by Chinese immigrants. After three months of travelling in China, obviously I wouldn’t show much interest in sightseeing of Chinese cultural landmarks in Vietnam.

Again, I met the same tourists travelling north to south, visited restaurants with almost identical set of dishes and I was repelled by the system of popular tourist packages in the agencies.

Somehow, there are only two options for traveling in Vietnam on a particular route with well-established points of interest on the way. From north to south or south to north.

Some make this journey by land, while those with little time or higher budget fly from Saigon to Hanoi or vice versa, skipping the central region.

In order to change the classic route, I decided to turn away from the popular route, going to the west, to the town of Pleiku. Since there are no real tourist attractions in Pleiku, the area was not on offer at any of the tourist itineraries. Just out of curiosity, to see how the Vietnamese live in a bigger city, I boarded a bus in the direction of Saigon, and agreed with the driver to drop me at An Nhon, from where there would be easy connection to my final destination.

Tickets, bought directly from the bus company, were three times cheaper than the already inexpensive tickets for tourist buses that continued to Saigon. The comfort on a local bus was similar, but the ride was much slower.

For the rest of the way from Au Nhon to Pleiku, I used a small van with a capacity of 12 passengers, where as many as 26 passengers were crammed; plus, some luggage. The driver drove as fast as he could to overtake most vehicles on a solid road.

Pleiku turned out to be bigger than I expected. The driver dropped me off in front of a one-star hotel, suggesting: “Stay here. This is good for you!“. I didn’t follow the recommendation, because I had never paid as much as 10.00US$ a night before in Vietnam. I started looking for more economic alternatives in the area. As if there was a cartel agreement, all the hotels had the same prices for foreigners.

Pleiku proved to be an exceptionally odd place. Expensive hotels, without foreign visitors, closed restaurants or not attending foreigners. Finally, when I was invited into one of the rundown restaurants, which accepted foreigners, the owner invited me into the kitchen to show me what she could cook. She showed me a large box with various types of meat.

She pulled out a long cow’s tongue covered with caterpillars, shook it slightly so that the caterpillars fell to the ground and offered it to me as a local specialty.

I purchased an instant noodle soup in a store and prepared it at the hotel.

The next day, I set off for Saigon early in the morning, disappointed with what I discovered in the city, off the traditional tourist trail.

When I wanted to buy a bus ticket for a ride to Saigon, I found out that the price for foreigners is three times higher than what the locals pay: VND 20,000.

I was very upset, complaining to the employee about the unfairness: “What kind of nonsense is this? Each passenger occupies one seat. Why should I pay three times as much?“.

I boarded the bus without a ticket, hoping to negotiate a fair price with the driver. When the conductor came by, I offered him 20,000 VND, and he issued me a ticket without comment.

There were kilometers of rubber plantations along the road. The bus hurtled like a rocket down the narrow road towards Saigon, but we arrived safely in the evening.

However, the bus ride was nothing compared to the ride from the bus station in Saigon to the city center, where my hotel was located. The moto rickshaw was driven by an elder gentleman, who drove like a madman. I had a feeling he wasn’t using the brakes at all or they just weren’t working.

When he entered into a chaotic junction, he simply reduced his speed and elegantly dodged the vehicles that were coming from other sides. Several times, I just held on tightly and closed my eyes, hoping that we would avoid the accident. He was laughing when I didn’t want to tip him at the end, complaining about daring Mad Max-style driving.

Although the capital of a united Vietnam is Hanoi in the north, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) remains Vietnam’s main economic and financial center. Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, the name of the city officially changed to Ho Chi Minh City. However, the old name Saigon is still widely used, especially when referring to the most central part of the city to which most tourists flock.

The Museum of American Horrors from the War is an excellent, albeit horrific, display of the terror that the occupiers from the USA inflicted on the innocent population during the war in Vietnam. Many pictures, facts and data exhibited in the museum are shocking. It is not my favorite place to visit, but the one that I remember most. The impact of a cruel exhibition, reflecting the reality of the brutal war, left me speechless, shocked and impacted for some time.

Approximately three million Vietnamese were killed during the war, two million of them civilians.

Two million were injured, 300,000 were unaccounted for; and many hundreds of thousands were and continue to be affected by the deadly remnants of war – unexploded land mines, Agent Orange contamination and so on. If we add 58,000 American military personnel, the total number doesn’t change drastically, but it shows how important this war was on the international scale.

The brutality of the war has been well documented, especially the My Lai massacre in 1968. American soldiers raped, mutilated and tortured innocent villagers in South Vietnam, before killing them; families were dragged from their homes, thrown into ditches and executed. An estimated 500 Vietnamese, mostly women, children, and the elderly, died in the massacre.

The cruelty of the My Lai massacre and the official cover-up fueled anti-war sentiment and further divided the United States over the Vietnam War. More and more internal opposition and questioning about the meaning of American soldiers fighting on the other side of the world finally led to the withdrawal of foreign troops from the territory of Vietnam.

I have a feeling that nowadays Americans as visitors are not at all hated or marginalized. Especially considering the fact that most of them are ashamed of the actions of their patriots in the past.

I am really pissed off with the Vietnamese, whom I consider the most annoying people that I have met so far on my travels. In addition to be constantly pestering me, they almost never honor the agreement. For example, in Saigon, I agreed to rent a motorbike and two helmets for a certain price. When I arrived at the agency the next morning, they offered me a motorbike with broken speedometer and fuel gauge. As an alternative they wanted to charge me 50% more for another bike, that seemed to be in perfect conditions, but without helmets.

Later, I finally found an agency that would supply me a working motorcycle with a helmet. So, we agreed on all details. When I arrived to the office the next morning, the agency was closed.

At the end of the day, I had enough of all the negative experiences, so I decided to continue my journey to neighboring Cambodia and leave the country, which completely disappointed me with people’s attitude, form of organizing tourism and way of communication.

At the time of my visit in 1999, Vietnam was starting to open up to foreign (non) French visitors in a completely different way than other countries in Southeast Asia. Vietnamese didn’t realize that they could be unpleasant with their aggressive selling, offering of services or souvenirs. Tourism infrastructure for independent travelers has always been limited, and Vietnamese people in remote areas were not used to foreign guests.

Despite these initial obstacles of opening up to foreign guests, I managed to experience some authentic corners of the country, which will radically change in the coming years (decades).

With its industrious, ambitious, young population, willing to work hard, Vietnam will quickly make up for the lost time of the war in the coming decades and could certainly become an economic force in Asia.

The tourism industry will also change and increase dramatically. The time will show, if it is for good or worse.