Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An, and Hue

People always rave about Vietnam, so we are excited to land in Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) to find out what all the fuss is about!

Everywhere is preparing for the Lunar New Year (or the holiday of Tet, as it’s known locally). Locals tend to take two weeks holiday, the whole country practically shuts down for three days, and people exit the cities on mass to return home to the countryside. The city is a fusion of colour, flowers, and music. This year is the year of the dragon – pretty cool!

The city is far more high-rise than we expected. It is also utter carnage. There are over eight million motorbikes in this city alone, and avoiding them is a constant occupation! Nowhere is sacred. Green men at crossings mean nothing here, nor do pavements. It’s amazing that there aren’t more accidents – the bikes come at one from all directions!

Like many Asian cities, it is a great place to just wander around (if you can avoid the bikes). It’s particularly nice ahead of the holidays. Locals dress up in their finery and go on photoshoots around the decorated streets.

Spend our first morning visiting the Russian Market. We are due to visit northern India soon, where it is going to be minus 10. This is supposed to be the place to buy cheap cold-weather gear. Place is like a jumble sale, but it does have remarkably cheap coats, thermal trousers etc. Will report in a few weeks time whether it’s actually any good or not! Either way, the purchase of these additional items means we have to send some other stuff home to make space. Wonder whether it will actually make it back to Blighty!

We visit the Cu Chi tunnels as part of an organised tour. We stop en route at Lamphat Company factory, where victims of Agent Orange produce handicrafts. Really interesting watching the process of making these beautiful lacquerware objects – from bowls through to panels. To my lasting shame, I had never previously heard of Agent Orange. Napalm – yes, Agent Orange – no.

Agent Orange was a chemical weapon dropped by the US during the Vietnam war. It was intended to destroy the thick jungle foliage that proved so effective at camouflaging the Viet Cong. It certainly achieved its intended purpose, but it also resulted in at least three generations of people suffering from a range of physical deformities. The factory serves as a way for a subset of victims to earn a living.

At the best of times I’m a sucker for Asian art. But this is for a very good cause. Spend far more money than I care to think about and have to have our purchases shipped home as a consequence. But as my mother would say, but by the grace of God go I.

The tunnels when we arrive are pretty interesting. They stretch over 250 km and are comprised of three levels, the deepest being 10 metres. People lived within these labyrinths for up to 10 years. It must have been brutally hot. We are invited to enter one of the original entryways… needless to say they are not built for people who are 6’1”. Jenn however would have made a perfect tunnel rat (local name, not mine).

Following day we head to the war remnants museum. The collection of planes, tanks, and heavy artillery outside the main building is impressive. The inside however, is pretty graphic. One exhibition is comprised of some 275 candid photos taken by war photographers from 11 different countries. Makes for uncomfortable viewing. Decide I need to learn more about the Vietnam war. It’s hard to follow the politics. That said, regardless of the whys and wherefores, it was a horrific conflict that lasted over 10 years and resulted in c. 3 million deaths. Sobering…

A short flight takes us to our next stop in Vietnam, Da Nang. Jenn has surpassed herself by finding a tour that takes one to Monkey Mountain in search of the critically endangered red-shanked langurs. We head straight from the airport, leave our luggage at the tour operators office, before hopping on the back of bikes, meeting three other tourists, and heading off. No rest for the wicked!

Brief stop at an old fishing village, before heading up the mountain.

Wouldn’t you know it? Just as the road starts to climb, thick fog descends. It gradually worsens to the point that it’s difficult to see more than a few feet in front. Bugger!

Our first sighting of the langurs is almost entirely obscured! So frustrating, because even through a misty veil, there is no mistaking the fact that these are seriously cool monkeys!

Start to despair that we are going to have to write this trip off. Our super friendly guides though are not ready to quit (even though they confess that this is the worst conditions they have encountered)!

We head down the mountain to a road that is closed to the public owing to a landslide that has only been partially cleared. Fortunately for us, we are with a park ranger and can head where others cant. Miraculously the fog lifts and visibility improves materially. We get super lucky and see a troop of langurs sat contentedly in the tree tops. From our vantage point above them, we get a great view, and are sufficiently far away that our presence is largely ignored. The colours are amazing, and their rubbery faces surreal.

The fact that I take a thousand photos, and have a long lens (that’s not a euphemism), does not go unnoticed and a couple from the US ask if we’d be willing to share the photos. Of course, I’m more than happy to share, so we exchange details.

Following a highly successful trip, Jenn and I head straight to Hoi An by taxi. Long day, but really good fun!

Next day is new years eve. We have a nice relaxed day wandering around the town. I buy a couple of water colours by a local artist. No idea what I’m going to do with all this stuff when we get home. Don’t have enough wall space…

Jenn and I also buy traditional Vietnamese “ao dai” outfits for later that day. Red and gold represent prosperity and luck. I’m somewhat superstitious about such things, or perhaps it’s more about not tempting fate. In any event we buy matching outfits in said colours.

The couple that we met the day before on our monkey trek, have caught the bus to Hoi An during the day and having exchange photos, we arrange to meet for drinks that evening. Chris and Merlene are both physiotherapists from San Francisco, who have recently got married, jacked in their jobs, and are nearly 8 months into their travels. Who would do such a crazy thing?! 😉

Great to meet likeminded people. They are travelling until they exhaust their budget. Looks like 18 months or so. Great fun exchanging travel stories, and our fears and horror at the prospect of returning to reality at some point.

May have been a tactical mistake meeting relatively early in the evening in a craft beer garden! By the time midnight rolls around we are all a little worse for wear. Doesn’t stop Jenn and I donning our outfits.. Dressed as though the lunar new year has thrown up on us, we head over to watch the fireworks. Decide that we can’t see in the new year without a dragon balloon…

Really great evening and lovely to see in the new year with new friends.

Wake up with a slightly thick head the next morning. Sadly, we have a 5-hour car journey to our next stop in Hue.     

The roads are extremely quiet given the holiday. Visit marble mountain to break up the journey and get some exercise.  

Hue was the capital of Vietnam until 1945. Home to the impressive Imperial Citadel. Absolutely packed with local visitors who are granted free access during the holidays. The fact there are so many locals in the palace, goes some way to explain why all the restaurants are shut!

On our final day in Hue we visit three of the royal tombs of the Nguyen dynasty, namely Tu Doc (built 1864 – 1867), Lang Minh Mang (built 1840 – 1843), and Lang Khai Dinh (built 1920). All fabulously elaborate and a must see if in this part of the world. Also good excuse for Jenn to break out her outfit!

After a full on day, we head to the station. We are travelling to our next stop in Vietnam by overnight train! What could possibly go wrong!

Until next time…