Round the world - Vietnam

Vietnam was a last minute addition to the round the world trip, which meant not much forethought went into the visit. Unfortunately, December in Vietnam can bring unpredictable weather. Rain and grey skies were common, though when it did rain it was only for a short time. Relaxing on the beaches were not possible though due to strong waves and winds.

I was also not prepared for how stressful travelling in Vietnam would be. The amount of traffic was a lot more than I expected, and the sheer lack of pedestrian infrastructure made walking around towns and cities very tiring. It was not really what I needed after travelling for 3.5 months already.

Luckily, the visit was short and there were still some nice places to visit across Vietnam.

Waypoints

Location pin icon 16.06575, 108.24638 - Da Nang

Da Nang is famous for its My Khe beach which stretches for miles on end. Though I could see it being very nice if the weather was good, strong December winds and rain meant the conditions were less than ideal for relaxing. In brief moments of rest bite from the rain, it was possible to stroll on the beach and seeing out far to sea. Moving in land, the Dragon Bridge was probably the star attraction. It stands impressively over the river and supposedly spouts fire and water a few days a week at night time. Much of Da Nang is set up to cater for Korean tourists - I felt it was easier to communicate with restaurant staff in Korean than Vietnamese (simply because I knew more Korean). The Korean shopping malls provided nice places to relax during the day - and bag some bargains!

Location pin icon 16.1004, 108.27805 - Son Tra Peninsula

Slightly north east of Da Nang lies Son Tra Peninsula. Taking a Grab taxi to the Buddhist temple was straightforward, and the drivers know where to go for the car park drop off point. The whole temple was pleasant to walk around, and can take over an hour at a slow pace (which is recommended). There are many Grab taxi drivers waiting at the car park to take patrons back into town.

Location pin icon 15.99693, 107.99354 - Ba Na Hills

We had booked transport to Ba Na Hills in advance, and it turned out the weather would be pretty bad (as evident in the photos). The fog was really dense once we ascended in the cable car. Getting the views at Golden Bridge (with the hands) was near impossible, especially with the large crowds still trying to grab a photo. After taking another cable car up to the main building, you have a choice of going to the Lunar Castle, or outside to the Fantasy Park. On this day, the Fantasy Park is completely enveloped in really thick fog, so it was impossible to walk around without bumping in to things; funny for the first few minutes, but not practical especially given it was really cold too. I definitely felt it would be a great amusement park on a nice day when all the games stalls and food vendors would be open.

Location pin icon 15.87711, 108.32629 - Hoi An

Hoi An is easy Grab taxi ride away from Da Nang and makes for a great day trip. The old town exudes great architecture and plenty of shops to walk around. Buying the tourist admission tickets at a booth means you can enter three museums, of which there are plenty, and also means contributing to the upkeep of the town. Definitely stay for the nightly parade of boats where tourists can light candles and place them into the river. Then walk over to the night market where there are lots of food stalls to choose from. Hoi An is a great place to visit!

Location pin icon 16.46957, 107.57765 - Hue

Hue was Vietnam's old imperial capital city (given its central location in the country). It can be visited as a day trip from Da Nang - would recommend booking a proper tour guide or company as the drive via the Hai Van Pass is quite long. The journey will start early in the morning and end late at night. A typical tour itinerary will involve a visit to the Imperial Palace, lunch, then onto Thien Mu Pagoda and the Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh. It was great to hear all the history and slowly stroll around the locations. The day never felt rushed and the tour guide looked after us well.

Location pin icon 21.02874, 105.85168 - Hanoi

Hanoi was also not on the original plan, but given the poor weather in Da Nang we felt it prudent to spend a couple of days in Hanoi where the forecast was much better. After an impromptu flight and hotel booking later, we were in Hanoi and walking around the famous lake. Though the city was still busy, it felt much more walkable to Da Nang with a lot more to do.