Destinations:
–Sapa
Hoi An
The unsung hero of our trip, Hoi An was a pleasant surprise for us. This ended up being one of our favorite destinations during this trip. Whether you want to take photos of the old-style town, shop amongst the locals at their multiple large markets, spend time at the beach, go suit shopping, or simply walk around or day drink at a bar and people watch; there was no shortage of activities to do here. We only spent 2 nights, and one full day here so we may be going back!
Daytime
Cua Dai Beach (2 hours min.)
We got here at 5:30 AM, setup our Hammock and watched the sunrise over the beach. We rented a moped for the time we were here which allowed us to travel at our own pace and have more freedom on destinations. Once the sun came up, we drove a bit farther down the coast to a more popular beach, An Bang beach. We relaxed for a few hours here, tossed around a Disc, and watched the locals play Soccer on the beach before they all left to get to work.
Nomad Yoga (1.5 hours)
On our second morning in town, we went to Nomad Yoga for a 7 AM class. There were only 4 people total, and they also appeared to be tourists (hard to tell these days). The class was a great mix of good stretches which helped us stay limber and active to finish out our trip. Going to Yoga classes we like to do during our trips to see how different parts of the world practice yoga. This class was exactly what we were looking for and was the closest to our Hostel.
Shopping (2 hours min.)
It was only upon talking to the Host at the Hostel that we learned of the tailored suit scene in Hoi An, and we are very glad we did (Or at least I am!). Hoi An is well known around the world for its custom-tailored suits. Their suits are great quality, completely customized, very affordable, and made extremely fast. For tourists passing through in one day, I was skeptical that it would be completed in time, and now I have the nicest suit I will probably ever own at a fraction of the cost I would have paid in the US.
Be Be tailor (Custom Tailored Suits, 1 Day in Town Minimum Required)
Be Be was recommended by our Hostel, and it was very close by, making it the perfect option. Because we only had one day, we had to learn if they could make me a custom suit in time. We were the first ones in when they opened by 8 AM. They assured me they could complete my suit by the same evening and I was ecstatic. They started taking all my measurements and then we reviewed the cost. The cost varied mainly by material, but I also chose the color of the suit and the inner lining. The complete style of pants and jacket was also my choice which most likely slightly varied the cost. You could get a custom suit for as cheap as around $100 if you were comfortable with standard materials. I opted for something a bit nicer since I wanted this suit to last and be used for fancier occasions later in life. I ended up paying just over $200. Considering this same fabric and tailor job would have cost at least $600-$800 in the US, I was more than satisfied.
At 1:30 PM we went back for the first fitting with the tailor. Because of my tall and slender frame, it took about 2 hours for them to finalize the jacket portion of the suit. Lisa was helping us the whole time and was amazing! As they were finalizing the jacket I actually went to the back production facility and watched the guy finishing my suit. This was easily the best part of this whole experience, and the main advantage Be Be has over the competition. They have their production in house, so they can get these suits completed in one full day for fast-moving tourists. The changing room session was also fun because all the other tourists came back to the store at the same time to try on their clothes so we had a chance to meet other travelers.
There were also women getting custom dresses made, so Be Be is a great option for all who want to get some nice custom fitting clothes created.
Beyond these custom suit stores, every block is swarming with clothing stores. The women’s summer dresses are the most popular and there are surprisingly a lot of variety between each shop. Allison was able to find a few really nice dresses and even had them tailored ever so slightly. Put aside at least an hour or two for shopping.
Basket boat (2 hours)
A fun tourist attraction is to take the Basket Boat tour. Local women paddle you around (and even let me help at one point) a standard route on a river amongst all the other Basket Boats. You stop along the way to get some fun photos within Bamboo bushes, fish for Crabs (we caught 2, nbd..), throw a fishing net, and watch some performances of locals doing cool tricks in these fairly large circular boats. This was a unique experience even though it’s watered down a bit by how touristy it was. We knew what we were getting into and had a fun time!
Tra Que Vegetable gardens (2 hours)
The Village of Tra Que sits just outside the city limits and is composed of fields and fields of beautiful greenery where most of the vegetables that Hoi An use are grown. We were able to Scooter to these fields and drive amongst the greenery and even get out and walk around. We noticed some tourists on a tour, so this would be an option as well if farming and mass-producing vegetables is something that interests you.
Food
Ca Mai Restaurant
One street inland off the Thu Bon River is Ca Mai. We had walked through this part of town the night before and were impressed with how relaxing and pleasant this was in contrast to the Night Market. There was quiet music playing from speakers lining the roads. We came back to this area for lunch and found Ca Mai as we were looking for an authentic meal. They had a lunch special that provided a three-course meal of all local dishes that we had to try. There was a variety roll spread, green mango salad, buffalo stew, and Mahi Mahi soup. We really enjoyed this meal!
Banh Mi
Banh Mi actually means bread, but this is known as filling sandwiches in Vietnam. These are basically French baguettes stuffed with meat (choice of chicken or pork) and veggies (carrots, cucumber, etc.). We went to a street vendor to get our Fill of Banh Mi one evening for dinner and had to wait in line for almost 30 minutes. Make the time to try out this local dish and you will not be disappointed. You should get plenty of opportunities….
Evening
Hoi An Night market
Lying on a small island on the Thu Bon River, the Hoi An Night Market is an extremely popular event. Outdoor stalls are selling a variety of souvenirs and random trinkets. There are food stalls, restaurants, and bars all packed once the sun goes down. The Bridge of Lights is the most popular bridge to get to this area from the main town. It becomes almost a complete standstill with everyone taking pictures on this bridge or nearby. It was almost overwhelming how many people there were on a random evening. Hoi An is becoming a more and more popular town for visitors and tourists all over the world.
Hanoi
We arrived in Hanoi in the early afternoon and only spent two nights there. Our main reason for staying here was to be close to Ninh Binh, so we did not have as much time to explore Hanoi as much as we would have preferred. Ninh Binh, however, was amazing so we were not disappointed with this decision.
Daytime
Train Street (1-2 hours)
One of the most unsafe, confusing, but fantastic attractions in Hanoi is Train Street. There is a portion of the train tracks that pass directly through a portion of town so the train tracks (and the train when it passes) are only a few feet from homes, shops, and restaurants/bars. We made our way to this portion of town before going to the Puppet Show and got a few fun photos on the tracks. We met another couple from Australia who had a bucket of beer and were waiting until the train passed by (around 7 PM), and we were immediately disappointed we couldn’t just sit down and join them.
As of October 2019, the Vietnamese government shut down this portion of town and demanded all restaurants and bars close to avoid drawing tourists to this area. They deemed this an unsafe area given too many tourists were taking selfies on the tracks. It appears we were able to experience this just in time.
Hoan Kiem Lake (1-2 hours)
This lake lies towards the center of town and seemed to be a location of a lot of activity. Many locals walk around the lake, sit on benches, even do coordinated dance classes (yes, we saw this), making this a fun place to just walk around or people watch. As the sun goes down, the photogenic red bridge and the Jade Mountain Temple become illuminated. There are many food stalls, souvenir shops, restaurants, and bars surrounding this lake as well.
Evening
Water Puppet Theater (1 hour)
While walking around Hoan Kiem Lake, we noticed a large crowd of people outside a Theater. We walked over to learn more about it and came to know about the Water Puppet Shows. This theater and water puppet show is a pride of Vietnam and unlike anything we had seen before. Live musicians set the mood while an open pool about 10 yards wide and 10 yards deep is the stage. Puppeteers manage to manipulate customized water puppets as they appear from the depth of the water and act out folk tales of Vietnamese history. The total show is just about one hour long.
We bought our tickets at the ticket counter in advance and then came back for the 6:30 PM show.
Food
For lunch, we ordered Vietnamese Pha at the Hungry Hanoi. The meal was great, and it was a late afternoon lunch so we had the place all to ourselves. Given that Pha is so popular in Vietnam, we knew we had to stop at least once to get some, it is one of Allison’s favorite foods.
For our only dinner in town, we stopped at Chops for Beers and Burgers. Given how much Vietnamese food we had been eating, this was a nice balance and was surprisingly very good given our expectations. The beer selection was also unique. There seemed to be a good variety of cuisines in Hanoi, including Mexican which we almost ate as well.
Ninh Binh
From Hanoi, Ninh Binh is about a 90-minute drive. There are many tour packages you can purchase from Hanoi that will coordinate travel, food, and sightseeing for a one day trip to visit the attractions we mention below. We decided on the cheaper option of hiring a car to take us there and back, but we rented a Moped for a whopping $3 for the full day. Since we knew where we were planning to go, and were comfortable driving ourselves around this option worked very well to save us money and keep us moving quickly on a short one day trip. One alternative would be to spend the night in Ninh Binh to maximize daylight as well.
Daytime
Mua Caves (2 hours)
Starting around 8:30 AM we made our way to one of the most popular locations in Ninh Binh. Although this site has Caves in the name, it is popular because of the beautiful dual peak mountain range. Both peaks are accessible by a medium to difficult hike. We started our day at this location to try and beat the crowd and avoid the noon sun. Even after reaching both peaks we had to take some time to dry ourselves off. We recommend bringing a small towel and lots of water.
Check out our Tips page mentions some additional information on getting to these grounds.
Getting there Tip: As you approach this location on a Moped or Scooter, there will be a lot of locals waving at you and telling you to stop to park your scooter in their parking spot. You can ignore them, drive right by, and park as close as possible to the grounds to avoid a ton of walking. Don’t feel bad if you are passing by people jumping in the road to get your attention, they just want you to pay them to park there.
There are two main peaks, and neither one has much space for all the tourists that travel here. Make sure to arrive as early as possible to avoid crowds (Opens at 8 AM).
Trang An Boat Tour (3 hours)
Another activity that requires a sense of adventure but does not require much work is the Boat tour around the Trang An Ecological Complex. You get an option for three different routes, each lasting about 3 hours, and mainly taking tourists to similar areas. Visiting temples and caves are the destination, but the boat experience leading to these destinations while rowing between steep Limestone cliffs make this an unforgettable experience. A tour guide rows the boat and directs the route, even rowing with their feet at times, so there is no reason to worry about this being physically taxing. Upon a few stops, you have the option to hike to temples which can vary in difficulty, but it is nice to stretch and walk around after being in the boat and ducking to avoid colliding with the roof of various caves.
We chose to do Route 1 because we heard the other routes were more touristy and crowded. We enjoyed a quiet boat ride and at each stop, we had the whole area to ourselves. To optimize the tours, they require at least 3 tourists per boat, so we were paired with a solo traveler from Spain.
Lunch
MonaLisa seemed to be the only restaurant in the area with good ratings and they had a great selection. We ordered goat Pizza and shared Carbonara pasta. Goat is a delicacy in Vietnam and is normally cooked in a variety of ways. This was a nice chance for us to try this. This was a much-needed lunch after getting such an early start and we were glad to have a nice sit-down meal and take a break.
Hoa Lu (1 hour)
Another historical site, Hoa Lu was the Capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. There are some major structures that no longer exist, but the remains that are still there provide a tourist attraction for history buffs today. The general structure of the town with surrounding walls and main gates remain with temples and surrounding structures still upright. During our visit, it was raining and this larger area requires a bit of walking from site to site. We would not be surprised if this was the first activity to remove from an itinerary if time is not in excess.
Bich Dong Pagoda (30 min – 1 hour)
This three-tiered Pagoda, or Buddhist temple, is built into the side of a Mountain Range. There was no fee for general entrance, but there was a small parking fee to place our Moped in a parking area. The main entrance provides a nice picture opportunity with water surrounding the bridge to the entrance and beautiful greenery and mountains surrounding the manmade archway entrance. Upon entering, you can walk around the bottom level of the Pagoda. We wandered around and saw some mountain goats until finding a hidden path behind another building leading to the second level. Following this path took us up to the third Pagoda as well, which was far less traveled. This was a nice small adventure that capped our jam-packed day in Nihn Bihn.
Lao Cai/Sapa
Sapa was the final destination, but getting there required an overnight train to Lao Cai, followed by another van for about an hour to get to the town of Sapa.
Topas Ecolodge
Sapa has a lot of great options for where to stay and what activities to embark on. We chose to treat ourselves to a fancier lodging option by staying at Topas Ecolodge and it was well worth it!
From Sapa, they picked us up at their office and took us straight to the Lodge for Check-In. We arrived at 8:30 AM and checked into our hotel.
Daytime
Rent Bikes (3-5 hours)
We rented bikes from the Ecolodge and took off towards a small town called Ban Ho. It started with an adrenaline-filled downhill cruise that lasted almost 30 min since the town was at the base of a valley surrounded by mountains of rice fields. When we made it to the town, we biked across a few bridges as we made our way through this local town. It felt like we were completely off on our own, distant from any other tourists. Kids were walking to school and other townspeople going about their day. After exploring and grabbing some groceries (bought 5 beers for less than $3) we started the uphill battle (pun intended) to get back to the top.
After the first bunny hill, we quickly realized this would be a near-impossible multi-hour uphill bike ride and started walking.
We combined to walk and bike uphill for about 30 min until Grant caught up to a slow-moving truck carrying bricks and asked if we could get a ride back to the top. He helped us put the bikes on this massive stack of bricks and we drove up the hill at a snail’s pace but were relieved we avoided a grueling bike ride.
Infinity Pool (Half Day)
You can always kill as much time as you want by any pool. The Infinity Pool at the Ecolodge is top-notch though. The view is unmatched and with drinks and food being brought out, it is hard to leave this area.
Lunch (Lodge or Outside)
You can eat food at the Lodge, or venture out to a smaller town a short bike ride away to save some money. On our only full day in Sapa, after our bike ride, we stopped at a local restaurant and had delicious fried noodles and chicken. The food was authentic and a lot cheaper than the lodge, so we were happy with the find.
Spa (1 hour)
When you treat yourself you might as well go all out. They offer a variety of massages in a nice and relaxing studio with an amazing view of the surrounding hills. The price was not unreasonable so it made the decision that much easier.
Buffalo Trail Ecolodge Hike (1 hour)
When checking in, this trail was described as a casual hike around the grounds so we thought we would make this happen. It ended up being wet, muddy, steep, and overall very hard to navigate. Luckily, a local helper from the grounds joined us to show us the way. If you plan to do this hike, make sure to find someone who knows the way to take this hike with you.
Happy Hour (1 hour)
Around 5 or 5:30 PM the Lodge provided a free Champagne which we gulped down while playing a board game (also provided at the lodge) and watched the sunset. Cannot beat this!
Evening
Star Gazing
On our way to dinner, we looked up and noticed we could see the Milky Way. We were in such awe we delayed our dinner reservation another hour and ran around the campus star gazing and trying to take photos.
We were not anticipating this at all, but given you are so far from any major cities or light pollution it made sense once we were there.
Dinner (Ecolodge)
Given there are not many food options outside of the lodge within a reasonable distance (you are pretty secluded), Dinner is available for purchase at a higher price, but the food was very good.
