I traveled to Vietnam during what I would argue was the hottest most humid time of year…do not advise doing the same. I strongly believe hell would be cooler temperature-wise than Vietnam at the end of May. Lesson here….don’t go in May/June and don’t go during Monsoon Season. All that said, and even though I look like a drowned rat with a red face in all my photos, I had an amazing and memorable time and can’t wait to find my way back to Vietnam (just not in May) in the near future.
I spent 10 days in Vietnam starting in Hanoi and ending my adventures in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with stops at Halong Bay, Hoi An and the Mekong Delta along the way, timing Hoi An with the Lantern Festival. Pros: Saw a lot of the country in a short amount of time, ate a lot of amazing food, and drank some legit coffee Cons: was only in each city/location for about 2-3 nights and at times felt rushed to fit it all in, spent solid days flying between cities, and at times wished I wasn’t feeling rushed between cities and sites.
My biggest regret and if I were to do it all over again, would do differently….nerd out on Vietnam documentaries PRIOR to visiting as opposed to after. Also, I might have paid more attention when I was 21 and a cadet having to take a history class on the Vietnam War…..but that shipped sailed long ago. I was very fortunate to have guides who took me to places of significance to the Vietnam War and who were Veterans themselves of the Vietnam War. At times, it was overwhelming, both from the perspective as an American and but also that of a Combat Veteran myself. Powerful, moving and somber all at once. Indeed, encountering many US Vietnam Veterans made my trip more unique and special. I truly believe if you yourself are a veteran, this trip will prove to be memorable and impactful in ways you might not have expected.
Ok, enough with the seriousness and heaviness. Vietnam is absolutely beautiful! And if you love Vietnamese food be prepared to come home with a full belly and forever judging every local Vietnamese restaurant you eat at back home. Indeed, I took the opportunity while there to take a cooking class, which became one of the highlights of my trip. I also can’t recommend enough taking a Food Tour while in Ho Chi Minh City. I made lots of great friends who were on the tour with me and you get to experience zipping through the city on the back of a scooter trying all kinds of amazing street food along the way. I also recommend trying Ca Phe Sura Da while you are there, basically espresso with condensed sweetened milk over ice. Finally, if I leave you with anything, just one thing….….Pro tip: When crossing the street just go, don’t try and dodge scooters. Let them dodge you. Just keep moving forward at an a consistent straight pace…..and whatever you do, don’t stop. Trust me on this one.
So Where Did I Go and What did I Do:
Hanoi
Hotel: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
https://www.sofitel-legend-metropole-hanoi.com
The Sofitel has a great bar and pool to hang out at after your day is over and the service and rooms were really nice. Bottom line, as a single female traveler I look for hotels in safe neighborhoods, will be able to provide me with car service at a minimum from the airport upon arrival into a new and foreign location, and where customer service is top of mind. It all sounds bougie…and yes I can be bougie…. but when traveling alone, my safety and comfort will always come first. Plus, I want the people I ask for assistance to be trustworthy, know where to send me/not send me, and not have to worry about stepping out the front of the hotel into an unsafe area. I have been very fortunate and have had some staff go above and beyond for me knowing I’m traveling alone.
Best Place I Ate: Ly Club Hanoi
Phenomenal Vietnamese Cuisine in a historic home (within walking distance from the Sofitel) and there is typically someone performing on a Dan Tranh throughout the evening.
Sights I Saw in Hanoi:
- Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)
- Huu Tip Pond (the remains of a downed B-52 Bomber remain in the lake)
- Vietnam Military History Museum (Army Museum)
- The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thanglong (Headquarters for the NVA during the war)
- Presidential Palace/Ho Chi Minh’s House/Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- Sword Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
- Old Quarter
Insights on the places I saw above. First, all the military sights are not very “pro-American” and as one might expect very one sided. One book I did read prior to visiting Vietnam was I’m No Hero by Charlie Plumb A US service member’s story of being held prisoner in Vietnam. Side note, highly recommend this read if Military History is your thing. His story differs greatly from what you will see/read while touring military sites in Vietnam.
I have been known to just go and get lost walking down streets/alleys/etc. Yeah, probably not the safest/smartest thing to do as a single female traveler…..but still here, still doing it, still stumbling upon some gems. The Old Quarter in Hanoi is a great place to do just that, lots to discover and just wandering through streets and street markets fascinate me. Apparently, the now Instagram/Tik Tok famous train market can be found in the Old Quarter in Hanoi. While I did not go there while in Hanoi, it apparently is a thing now. The train travels down Ngo 224 Le Duan each day at 15:30 and 19:30 as it makes its way from Hue to Long Bien railway station. As an FYI the authorities are not fans of tourists flocking here and indeed closed it once upon a time along with all the pop-up coffee shops which started to appear, but as of 2023 it is open again.
Hoi An
Hotel: Anantara Hoi An Resort
https://www.anantara.com/en/hoi-an
I’ve had great luck with Anantara properties in Asia and the Middle East, again nice rooms, nice staff, and this particular resort sits right on the Thu Bon River in Hoi An and was within walking distance of the Ancient Town. The Ancient Town in Hoi An is well preserved and home to many great restaurants, shops and historical sites, such as the Japanese Covered Bridge. One highlight of the Anantara was the breakfast buffet. I can’t believe I’m calling out a hotel breakfast buffet, but here we are. I found their buffet to surpass most as it was loaded with fresh local fruits and homemade French pastries every morning. Indeed, this is where my cronut obsession was born.
Best Place I Ate: Red Bridge Restaurant Cooking School
https://redbridge.visithoian.com
If you are into getting off the beaten path and immersing yourself into the culture of where you are, I can’t recommend this cooking school enough. We started the day by venturing into the local fields and seeing the farmers tending their produce (bring your camera, you will be disappointed if you don’t). From there we followed the produce to the local farmers market, where we purchased ingredients we would need for our menu. This was the day I learned about Weasel Coffee, also referred to as Kopi Luwak in Southeastern Asia. I like to call it Poo Coffee. From the market we went back to the Cooking School and made amongst other things, Beef Pho, Lemongrass Shrimp, Clay Pot Fish, and Chicken and Banana Flower Salad. Then got to partake in the fruits of our labor. Upon finishing up lunch I was dropped back off at my hotel via the river, on a boat powered by what I can only describe as riding a lawn mower. But I made it safe and sound and you get to see the locals out fishing via nets on the river.
Sites I Saw in Hoi An:
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Hoi An Night Market
- An Bang Beach
- The many Tailors who have shops in Hoi An
- All the restaurants
- Lantern Festival
Insights on what I saw/experienced above. For starters, the 14th day of each lunar month, the Ancient town cuts its electricity and is lit by lanterns only. It is absolutely gorgeous and there is usually a lantern festival by the Japanese Covered Bridge where you can release lit lanterns onto the river. The Anantara had their own ceremony at the river where they had lanterns for us to make a wish upon and release. And yes, my wish came true.
If the weather allows and is nice enough, An Bang Beach makes a good day trip to relax at the beach. It’s less than 15 minutes from Hoi An by taxi and there are vendors at the beach for chairs, food and drink. Lastly, Hoi An is known for the many tailors in town that can whip together a suit, dress, shirt, etc. in a day. Make sure to ask around and do your research on quality and pricing. I was living in Shanghai at the time and had at my disposal many tailors so I did not partake while in Hoi An, but many people do and if you have an upcoming event and need a dress, definitely worth the investment for a custom dress while in town.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Hotel: Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
Best Place I Ate: Vietnam Vespa Adventures, Saigon After Dark
This Vespa Tour gave the cooking class a solid run for the money as one of the best things I did while in Vietnam. The group will come to your hotel and pick you up on a vintage Vespa and then zips you around Saigon. The tour I took started in the early evening around 6:00pm, stopped at a mix of venues throughout the evening and dropped me back off around 10:00pm. You kick the evening off meeting your full group, then you are off to a few local restaurants where you eat some amazing local fare and wash it down with a cold beverage. You close out the evening by hitting up a local café where you can partake in a beer or cocktail and listen to some live music and then end at a local dance club. All the food and a drink at each location is included in the cost. Going rate today is $97 per person for the tour.
Sites I Saw in Ho Chi Minh City:
- Day in the Mekong Delta
- War Remnants Museum
- Independence Palace
- Saigon Post Office (You can see the tower from which the last US helicopter departed Vietnam)
- AO Show at the Opera House
Insights on what I saw/experienced above. The Mekong Delta, known to the Vietnamese as the ‘Nine Dragons’ offers you a glimpse into the unchanged lives of local farmers and fishermen. The Delta is dotted with rice fields and tropical fruit orchards throughout the many winding tributaries of the Mekong River. The day in the Mekong started early with a 2 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. The entire day was one of just about every mode of transportation. I got dropped off and loaded into the back of a four-wheeler, taken to a boat where I rode down the Mekong river a bit, then offloaded and got onto a bicycle to ride through the countryside, stopping at various local businesses and a local home to enjoy lunch. The day ended with a sampan boat ride down a tributary and back to the larger boat which took me to my driver’s location. During the bike ride portion you see the scenic landscapes of the Delta and encounter many friendly faces. You also have the opportunity to stop at quaint villages and visit family-run cottage industries producing locally-made food and natural wares. I stopped at a brick making company, coconut processing plant, and lunch at a local home. You can also encounter the floating markets of the Delta. I booked this day through the Trails of Indochina travel company, who also handled the Halong Bay portion of my trip.
Halong Bay
Boat I Stayed On: Jasmine Cruise
I ventured out to Halong Bay, a little over a 3.5 hour drive from Hanoi, and which I would argue is a MUST do while in Vietnam. Halong Bay is considered one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural wonders and pictures don’t do its beauty justice. The Bay is dotted with thousands of limestone karsts and grottoes. The karsts are home to pretty beaches, caves and picturesque lagoons and the best way to experience Halong Bay is via an overnight cruise. Again, this portion of my trip was handled by Trails of Indochina. While onboard the many activities included a cooking class, and excursion to a local fishing village, swimming, and a hike up one of the karsts.
Vietnam Know Before You Go
Permits/Visas Needed: Check your local embassy for up to date information. US Citizens currently require a tourist visa obtained prior to arrival in country.
Necessary Vaccines: None needed for Vietnam, but check if you need malaria pills while in country. And take plenty of bug repellent if you plan on being out of larger cities, in fields, or spending a lot of time outdoors.
Currency: When I went you could only get Vietnamese Dong while in country and couldn’t exchange it once out of Vietnam. I used the ATM in my hotel lobby as I found places exchanging USD rather particular about bill denomination, bill issue date and bills needed to be crisp without folds or tears. My biggest lesson learned here was don’t show back up to the Ho Chi Minh City Airport with over $200 USD worth of Vietnamese Dong and all the Currency Exchange places closed. In order to get vendors to give me US dollars I had to make my fair share purchases of t-shirts and coffee (not poo coffee).
Transportation: Between the larger cities I flew on Vietnam Airlines (hello Delta Skymiles!), used taxis within the cities if I wasn’t with a guide and car, and used my Nikes a lot. Some of y’all may not be comfortable walking alone and you should never do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. I for one, never walk alone at night (ok, full transparency I do walk at night alone. But never in an area that is new to me, not well lit, and never ever late at night). During the day while walking alone, I remain vigil to my surroundings and who is walking near me. Don’t ever be afraid to duck into a restaurant/shop if you feel unsafe, feel you are being followed, or your gut tells you something is off. I have done it more than once and have always found the shopkeeper more than willing to accommodate/help me out.
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