He doesn't drive.
That said, driving in a country where you can't read the road signs is even worse, even if you do drive.
[RD] Backpacking Việt Nam (2019)
- Thread starter warpus
- Start date
He doesn't drive.
That said, driving in a country where you can't read the road signs is even worse, even if you do drive.
I have driven in a few foreign countries, and the road signs are a little tricky, but it is the different "road conventions" that make it hard. Like in Morocco lorries will overtake a row of cars, and pull into it if something comes, expecting the cars to just get out of their way. And in Turkey tractors will drive along with no lights at night, and have a torch that they turn on when you get close to them to let you know they are there.
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warpus
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Most backpackers rent or buy motorcycles for this purpose in Vietnam, which you can do without a license. The problem is that if you don't have a license you will not be covered in case of an accident. The traffic I saw in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (and elsewhere) was stressful enough as a pedestrian, I don't think I would have done something like this even if I had solid experience riding a motorcycle. It takes some time to get used to being a pedestrian in the country, so I can imagine it would take even longer getting comfortable driving something on Vietnamese roads.
I don't think many tourists rent cars, because it's just so much easier to get around on a motorcycle. It definitely makes no sense to rent a car to get around the bigger cities, even for day trips in and out of the city. It's a small country at first glance, but if you were to ride a motorcycle from the northernmost part of the country, along the coast, all the way south, that's a 2,500 km ( 1,500 mi ) journey, as long as a road trip from Chicago to Salt Lake City. There are highways but it would take you at least twice as long to cover this distance.
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warpus
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Vietnamese Incense
The burning of incense is in many ways a part of Vietnamese cultural identity. A burning incense stick is considered to be a sacred bridge between the world of the living and the spirit world of the deceased. Like in many other Asian countries, in Vietnam you will encounter burning incense sticks at temples and pagodas, but you'll also come across them at the roots of old trees, inside and outside of people's homes, at markets, sometimes inside restaurants, and at festivals and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.
In Mahayana Buddhism a burning incense stick is one of the six items you can offer to the Buddha, alongside with flowers, candles, fruit, food, and beverages. And while incense is usually associated with Buddhism, in Vietnam it is also used by those who practice local folk religions, as well as by Roman Catholics.
One of the stops on the dragon boat tour of the Perfume River was the Thủy Xuân village, which is famous for its incense production. Incense has been produced here by hand for centuries
The incense is made by covering a small stick of dried & dyed bamboo with a scented powder. In practice the powder forms a big lump of scented material that is then applied to each stick of bamboo with a rolling motion. From what I understand the sticks are then submerged in water and allowed to dry again.
Many of the families who have been making incense over the generations here now employ some automated methods to produce these sticks. For demonstrational purposes we were shown the more traditional methods of creating incense. Current methods allow each worker to produce thousands of incense sticks a day.
This is not my video, but I believe it is from the same village and possibly from the same incense factory. It shows you a bit more of the process.
The burning of incense is in many ways a part of Vietnamese cultural identity. A burning incense stick is considered to be a sacred bridge between the world of the living and the spirit world of the deceased. Like in many other Asian countries, in Vietnam you will encounter burning incense sticks at temples and pagodas, but you'll also come across them at the roots of old trees, inside and outside of people's homes, at markets, sometimes inside restaurants, and at festivals and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.
In Mahayana Buddhism a burning incense stick is one of the six items you can offer to the Buddha, alongside with flowers, candles, fruit, food, and beverages. And while incense is usually associated with Buddhism, in Vietnam it is also used by those who practice local folk religions, as well as by Roman Catholics.
One of the stops on the dragon boat tour of the Perfume River was the Thủy Xuân village, which is famous for its incense production. Incense has been produced here by hand for centuries
The incense is made by covering a small stick of dried & dyed bamboo with a scented powder. In practice the powder forms a big lump of scented material that is then applied to each stick of bamboo with a rolling motion. From what I understand the sticks are then submerged in water and allowed to dry again.
Many of the families who have been making incense over the generations here now employ some automated methods to produce these sticks. For demonstrational purposes we were shown the more traditional methods of creating incense. Current methods allow each worker to produce thousands of incense sticks a day.
This is not my video, but I believe it is from the same village and possibly from the same incense factory. It shows you a bit more of the process.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Khiêm Mausoleum
AKA The Tomb of Emperor Tự Đức (Reigned 1847-1883)
This mausoleum was built for the longest reigning of the Nguyễn emperors, but does not actually contain his body, which was buried at a secret location somewhere in or near Huế. The story goes that the 200 laborers who buried the emperor were all beheaded shortly afterwards, in order to keep the location a secret. To this day nobody knows where the real burial site is.
Emperor Tự Đức got involved in the planning and design of the tomb a long time before his death. Construction of the major structures was completed in 1867. A year before that there was an unsuccessful coup attempt, due to the extra taxes put in place in order to pay for the mausoleum. After the coup attempt the emperor moved into the tomb's palace buildings and spent the rest of his life living there along with his 104 wives and concubines.
The amenities at this site are more luxurious and extensive than at any other tomb in Vietnam. There is even a small island on which the emperor could hunt small game.
Tự Đức had a troubled reign. He continued the policy of his predecessors to shut off Vietnam from the rest of the world and refused to modernize the country. He was oppressive to foreigners, especially Christians, which was used as a justification for a French/Spanish invasion of southern Vietnam, resulting in the country being split in two - southern Vietnam becoming Cochinchina, a French colony, and northern Vietnam becoming a French protectorate. This only lead to more problems for the emperor with many internal rebellions and uprisings. Tự Đức is considered the last emperor to rule Vietnam independently.
Even though the emperor had so many wives and concubines, he did not leave an heir. It is said that he was rendered impotent after catching smallpox.
Here's what the grounds look like from above (photo not mine)
You'd think I'd have more photos from this site, but I really don't. From what I remember I was getting a bit tired from all the walking and all the activites. It was a very comprehensive dragon boat tour!
AKA The Tomb of Emperor Tự Đức (Reigned 1847-1883)
This mausoleum was built for the longest reigning of the Nguyễn emperors, but does not actually contain his body, which was buried at a secret location somewhere in or near Huế. The story goes that the 200 laborers who buried the emperor were all beheaded shortly afterwards, in order to keep the location a secret. To this day nobody knows where the real burial site is.
Emperor Tự Đức got involved in the planning and design of the tomb a long time before his death. Construction of the major structures was completed in 1867. A year before that there was an unsuccessful coup attempt, due to the extra taxes put in place in order to pay for the mausoleum. After the coup attempt the emperor moved into the tomb's palace buildings and spent the rest of his life living there along with his 104 wives and concubines.
The amenities at this site are more luxurious and extensive than at any other tomb in Vietnam. There is even a small island on which the emperor could hunt small game.
Tự Đức had a troubled reign. He continued the policy of his predecessors to shut off Vietnam from the rest of the world and refused to modernize the country. He was oppressive to foreigners, especially Christians, which was used as a justification for a French/Spanish invasion of southern Vietnam, resulting in the country being split in two - southern Vietnam becoming Cochinchina, a French colony, and northern Vietnam becoming a French protectorate. This only lead to more problems for the emperor with many internal rebellions and uprisings. Tự Đức is considered the last emperor to rule Vietnam independently.
Even though the emperor had so many wives and concubines, he did not leave an heir. It is said that he was rendered impotent after catching smallpox.
Here's what the grounds look like from above (photo not mine)
You'd think I'd have more photos from this site, but I really don't. From what I remember I was getting a bit tired from all the walking and all the activites. It was a very comprehensive dragon boat tour!
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warpus
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Cà Phê Sữa
Condensed Milk Coffee
This is one of the most popular types of coffee you can get in Vietnam, although the iced variant (cà phê đá) is probably more popular. From my experience a lot of cafes will simply ask you if you want it "hot" or "cold". After the dragon boat tour I was feeling a bit low on energy so I ordered one of these at a restaurant near my homestay in order to recharge.
Condensed milk is used because fresh milk was not easy to come by during colonial times, as the Vietnamese dairy farming industry was still in its infancy at the time. When you order this hot it is also frequently served with a
Vietnamese drip filter (phin cà phê) right on top of your cup. In that case you then have to wait until the coffee finishes filtering into your cup before you can mix in the condensed milk, which is usually already at the bottom of your cup as well. In this case I had to pour the condensed milk in myself.
The condensed milk used here is slightly different from what you can buy in North America, as it contains more milk for extra creaminess. The coffee itself is usually quite strong, so you can imagine this cup of coffee being especially sweet and especially strong. Back home I usually drink my coffee black, but it did not take me long to adapt to Vietnamese coffee sensibilities. The quality of the flavour of the coffee was usually quite high no matter where I went, and the coffee always being strong meant that I had to drink less in the morning in order to wake up. The extra sweetness took me a bit longer to get used to, but I sort of ended up associating the sweet flavour with the extra kick you get when you drink one of these. The high quality of the beans and the flavour of the coffee itself is really what tied the whole experience together and what had me coming back.
Condensed Milk Coffee
This is one of the most popular types of coffee you can get in Vietnam, although the iced variant (cà phê đá) is probably more popular. From my experience a lot of cafes will simply ask you if you want it "hot" or "cold". After the dragon boat tour I was feeling a bit low on energy so I ordered one of these at a restaurant near my homestay in order to recharge.
Condensed milk is used because fresh milk was not easy to come by during colonial times, as the Vietnamese dairy farming industry was still in its infancy at the time. When you order this hot it is also frequently served with a
Vietnamese drip filter (phin cà phê) right on top of your cup. In that case you then have to wait until the coffee finishes filtering into your cup before you can mix in the condensed milk, which is usually already at the bottom of your cup as well. In this case I had to pour the condensed milk in myself.
The condensed milk used here is slightly different from what you can buy in North America, as it contains more milk for extra creaminess. The coffee itself is usually quite strong, so you can imagine this cup of coffee being especially sweet and especially strong. Back home I usually drink my coffee black, but it did not take me long to adapt to Vietnamese coffee sensibilities. The quality of the flavour of the coffee was usually quite high no matter where I went, and the coffee always being strong meant that I had to drink less in the morning in order to wake up. The extra sweetness took me a bit longer to get used to, but I sort of ended up associating the sweet flavour with the extra kick you get when you drink one of these. The high quality of the beans and the flavour of the coffee itself is really what tied the whole experience together and what had me coming back.
warpus
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For dinner I went to a restaurant that had local specialities on the menu. Since Huế used to be the imperial capital of the Nguyễn dynasty, spanning 13 emperors, certain dishes were developed here in order to satisfy the culinary expectations of the royal court and all its associated high ranking officials.
Nem Lụi Huế
Grilled minced pork on lemongrass skewer
This dish is popular in central Vietnam and can often be found for sale by street food vendors. The peanut dipping sauce is also a Huế invention; it contains pork liver, peanut butter, and fermented soya bean. Not pictured here is the rice paper that you wrap the pork, vegetables, and rice noodles in before dipping everything in the peanut sauce. Instead of rice paper this dish is also sometimes served with a Bánh mì Vietnamese baguette.
Bún bò Nam Bộ
Southern style beef noodle
This is a southern Vietnamese dish and does not originate in Huế, but just looked too irresistible on the menu. Vermicelli rice noodles topped with sliced beef, greens & herbs, crispy onions, and roasted peanuts, served with a sweet & sour sauce.
A delicious way to finish off my stay in the old imperial capital! The next morning I would be jumping on a bus heading further south.
Nem Lụi Huế
Grilled minced pork on lemongrass skewer
This dish is popular in central Vietnam and can often be found for sale by street food vendors. The peanut dipping sauce is also a Huế invention; it contains pork liver, peanut butter, and fermented soya bean. Not pictured here is the rice paper that you wrap the pork, vegetables, and rice noodles in before dipping everything in the peanut sauce. Instead of rice paper this dish is also sometimes served with a Bánh mì Vietnamese baguette.
Bún bò Nam Bộ
Southern style beef noodle
This is a southern Vietnamese dish and does not originate in Huế, but just looked too irresistible on the menu. Vermicelli rice noodles topped with sliced beef, greens & herbs, crispy onions, and roasted peanuts, served with a sweet & sour sauce.
A delicious way to finish off my stay in the old imperial capital! The next morning I would be jumping on a bus heading further south.
warpus
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Bus Ride from Huế to Hội An
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
My homestay hosts helped me book transportation to Hội An, my next stop on the tour of the country. Hội An used to be a bit of a melting-pot of different cultures, by virtue of being a former port city. Traders from different countries set up shop there, which lead to an interesting mix of architecture styles being used. The old town is an UNESCO world heritage site and is also famous for its canals.
I considered stopping in Đà Nẵng as well, which is considered to be Vietnam's third city, but decided to head directly to Hội An instead. Đà Nẵng is an old French port and is known for its sandy beaches. It is the transportation hub of central Vietnam and is also close to several other sights I was interested in. However, in the end I decided that I did not really have enough time to visit both.. I knew that I would already be spending time on sandy beaches later on in my trip, so in the end booked a bus to take me straight to Hội An.
The one way bus ticket cost me the equivalent of about $4 USD. Once I boarded the bus I was surprised to see that each seat was essentially a bed, allowing you to lie back and nap during the journey. Blankets were provided to complete the experience.
Excuse the blatant product placement, but when travelling through Vietnam it is very wise to avoid drinking water right out of the tap. As such, I usually had water bottles on hand.
The bus ride was slow and bumpy and lasted about 3 hours.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
My homestay hosts helped me book transportation to Hội An, my next stop on the tour of the country. Hội An used to be a bit of a melting-pot of different cultures, by virtue of being a former port city. Traders from different countries set up shop there, which lead to an interesting mix of architecture styles being used. The old town is an UNESCO world heritage site and is also famous for its canals.
I considered stopping in Đà Nẵng as well, which is considered to be Vietnam's third city, but decided to head directly to Hội An instead. Đà Nẵng is an old French port and is known for its sandy beaches. It is the transportation hub of central Vietnam and is also close to several other sights I was interested in. However, in the end I decided that I did not really have enough time to visit both.. I knew that I would already be spending time on sandy beaches later on in my trip, so in the end booked a bus to take me straight to Hội An.
The one way bus ticket cost me the equivalent of about $4 USD. Once I boarded the bus I was surprised to see that each seat was essentially a bed, allowing you to lie back and nap during the journey. Blankets were provided to complete the experience.
Excuse the blatant product placement, but when travelling through Vietnam it is very wise to avoid drinking water right out of the tap. As such, I usually had water bottles on hand.
The bus ride was slow and bumpy and lasted about 3 hours.
Did you sleep or look out the windows?
warpus
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From what I remember I did not sleep. Chances are I had a strong cup of coffee in the morning. I probably spent the time looking out the window, reading online about Hội An, and maybe reading the book I had with me a bit.
warpus
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Eggs in Strange Places
This is the first thing I saw when I got off the bus in Hội An.
The title of this post is a reference to this community of strange people who photograph eggs in strange places
This is the first thing I saw when I got off the bus in Hội An.
The title of this post is a reference to this community of strange people who photograph eggs in strange places
warpus
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First Impressions of Hội An
The homestay I had booked was a 15 minute walk from the touristy part of town. I didn't mind being a bit out of the way if it meant I could be away from the noise and save some money along the way. It was also interesting to see the parts of daily life you would not usually find in a travel brochure.
The booking.com description promised a deluxe room with a balcony and rice field views, as well as a pool on the roof. That is exactly what was delivered, but the rice fields were a bit disappointing.. It is possible that they were in the process of being prepared for urbanization. My room had a balcony facing these fields, but there was no point in hanging out on it, since all you would hear is a dog barking and the fields were just dirt.
When I went upstairs to check out the pool, it was being fixed, with dust on the reclining chairs and no water in the pool.
Nevertheless, for the equivalent of $20 USD a night, and the friendly hosts.. and the included free bike rental.. and the included breakfast! I did not really complain.
Here is a picture that is used to advertise this property. The rice fields and the pool look a lot better in this photo than what I saw when I was here:
After checking in and getting settled I got ready for a walk around town.
The homestay I had booked was a 15 minute walk from the touristy part of town. I didn't mind being a bit out of the way if it meant I could be away from the noise and save some money along the way. It was also interesting to see the parts of daily life you would not usually find in a travel brochure.
The booking.com description promised a deluxe room with a balcony and rice field views, as well as a pool on the roof. That is exactly what was delivered, but the rice fields were a bit disappointing.. It is possible that they were in the process of being prepared for urbanization. My room had a balcony facing these fields, but there was no point in hanging out on it, since all you would hear is a dog barking and the fields were just dirt.
When I went upstairs to check out the pool, it was being fixed, with dust on the reclining chairs and no water in the pool.
Nevertheless, for the equivalent of $20 USD a night, and the friendly hosts.. and the included free bike rental.. and the included breakfast! I did not really complain.
Here is a picture that is used to advertise this property. The rice fields and the pool look a lot better in this photo than what I saw when I was here:
After checking in and getting settled I got ready for a walk around town.
Did you home stay house owners speak English?
warpus
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One of the family members did a bit! The others who didn't used an app to translate everything I said and responded by speaking into the app and showing me their phone.
I used that process often in China!
warpus
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Hội An Old Town
The city's historic district is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port. The Malayo-Polynesian Champa Empire first set up their commercial capital here in the 14th century. In 1471 the area was annexed by the Vietnamese Đại Việt kingdom. Since then Portugese, Japanese, Chinese, and other merchants set up shop here, leading to an interesting mix of old structures in the historic old town.
Hội An translates to "Peaceful meeting place".
Walking through the old town you come across many businesses targeting tourists, but also assorted art galleries and other interesting structures. Many of the buildings were and in some cases still are used by specific tradespeople who create a specific type of commodity. On one hand the old town feels like a bit of a tourist trap, but on the other it is incredibly unique and very interesting to explore.
The city's historic district is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port. The Malayo-Polynesian Champa Empire first set up their commercial capital here in the 14th century. In 1471 the area was annexed by the Vietnamese Đại Việt kingdom. Since then Portugese, Japanese, Chinese, and other merchants set up shop here, leading to an interesting mix of old structures in the historic old town.
Hội An translates to "Peaceful meeting place".
Walking through the old town you come across many businesses targeting tourists, but also assorted art galleries and other interesting structures. Many of the buildings were and in some cases still are used by specific tradespeople who create a specific type of commodity. On one hand the old town feels like a bit of a tourist trap, but on the other it is incredibly unique and very interesting to explore.
Tourism and tourists are a money maker for them.
FriendlyFire
Codex WMDicanious
So many sit-lores
I would be careful when hiring a motorized bike, due to the number of accidents that regularly occur it would be a lot safer crash wise with a modern car that has the usual crash / saftery features
The lack of proper helmets is worrying given the seriousness of head injuries, never mind wearing leathers and padding. The lack of a modern medical system can mean death. As a westerner you might be ok since you can always slip the doctor a few hundred dollars to pay for treatment and supplies for the average Vietnamese though its probably still a nightmare.
Having a lot of driving experience also recommended, because that counts for a lot.
I would be careful when hiring a motorized bike, due to the number of accidents that regularly occur it would be a lot safer crash wise with a modern car that has the usual crash / saftery features
The lack of proper helmets is worrying given the seriousness of head injuries, never mind wearing leathers and padding. The lack of a modern medical system can mean death. As a westerner you might be ok since you can always slip the doctor a few hundred dollars to pay for treatment and supplies for the average Vietnamese though its probably still a nightmare.
Having a lot of driving experience also recommended, because that counts for a lot.
warpus
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Japanese Covered Bridge
Chùa Cầu
This bridge is considered to be the symbol of the city of Hội An. It was initially constructed in the late 16th century by merchants from a wealthy Japanese trade guild, connecting a Chinese district on one side to a Japanese district on the other. It has burned down multiple times over the years, although the general design and shape have more or less remained the same. The current design dates back to 1763, incorporating a wooden pagoda roof.
In order to visit the old town you are required to purchase a pass, which from what I remember is valid for multiple days. The Japanese Covered Bridge was the only place I ever saw anybody checking these passes.
As you can see you can easily walk across another bridge to get to the other side, bypassing those checking for passes here. However, the vast majority of visitors will want to cross this bridge nevertheless, as it is one of the most popular attractions here. The pass is also relatively cheap, costing the equivalent of $5 USD or so. The proceeds are used to help maintain and preserve the old town.
Chùa Cầu
This bridge is considered to be the symbol of the city of Hội An. It was initially constructed in the late 16th century by merchants from a wealthy Japanese trade guild, connecting a Chinese district on one side to a Japanese district on the other. It has burned down multiple times over the years, although the general design and shape have more or less remained the same. The current design dates back to 1763, incorporating a wooden pagoda roof.
In order to visit the old town you are required to purchase a pass, which from what I remember is valid for multiple days. The Japanese Covered Bridge was the only place I ever saw anybody checking these passes.
As you can see you can easily walk across another bridge to get to the other side, bypassing those checking for passes here. However, the vast majority of visitors will want to cross this bridge nevertheless, as it is one of the most popular attractions here. The pass is also relatively cheap, costing the equivalent of $5 USD or so. The proceeds are used to help maintain and preserve the old town.
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I'd pay to cross and then perhaps cross back on a different one so I could see the covered bridge from a distance.
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