Vietnam — Leaving Vietnam
A summary of my time in Vietnam
September 2015
I had a great time in Vietnam. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I would avoid visiting in September as it gets very hot and humid.
I started my trip in Hanoi, which I thought was a great town, and I loved the time I spent exploring the local streets and markets. I then moved on to Ha Long Bay, and finally to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
If you suffer from a chest condition such as asthma, you may wish to avoid Hanoi in the hottest months due to high levels of air pollution.
I stayed in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, where I found that I would be offered a motorbike taxi on most street corners. Car, motorbike and bicycle taxes would stop in the street and ask if I needed a taxi. In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), I was very rarely approached about a taxi.
In Vietnam, they drive on the right. If a street is one-way, don't assume all the traffic will move in the same direction. Just because the little man is green on a crossing, don't assume it is safe to cross. If a traffic light is red, don’t assume all traffic will stop and it is safe to cross, as motorbikes habitually ignore red lights. And watch out for the silent and deadly electric scooters. They will be on top of you before you hear them coming down the street.
The approach I adopted for getting across the road in Vietnam was to wait for a small gap and go for it. I then kept walking at a constant speed while scanning the traffic. I tried to avoid stopping. I kept walking. In my case, the traffic went around me (most of the time!) as they could predict my next move.
Some things given to you in hotels and on trips, for example, drinks, may not be free, and you will be asked later to pay. This happened to me with bottled water and tea. Watch out for it. Ask the price.
The food was excellent. I loved it. I became a big fan of Pho.
I thought the street markets of Hanoi were fabulous.
And in Hanoi, I particularly enjoyed my early morning visit to Hoan Kiem Lake and the B52 lake.
I had heard several horror stories about taxis in Vietnam, so I decided to avoid using a cab as I do in most countries. But there are times when you have no choice.
In Hanoi, I took a cab to the train station. The hotel booked the taxi, and they gave me an estimate of the cost for the 10-minute ride of 50,000 dong. The price was 36,000, and the ride was metered. No problems.
I saw a lot of half-built and abandoned things in Vietnam.
On the drive to Ha Long Bay, I saw a long stretch of elevated railway track that had been built and didn't connect to any train lines; it just stopped mid-air at a village. Several roads seemed to be half-built, and no sign of work being carried out. I also saw numerous partially built houses. And roads laid out and made for housing developments that showed no sign of starting.
The trip to Ha Long Bay was memorable, but maybe not for the right reasons.
I also enjoyed my time in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
If I had to pick two things that were the highlights of my time in Vietnam, it would be the train ride from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and visiting the Bảo tàng Chứng tích Chiến tranh, War Remnants Museum. Both, I feel, will leave a lasting impression on me.
Vietnam, you were great, but I had to move on.
My next stop — Cambodia
