Although Hoi An gave me such a high, I had to leave eventually and move on. I tried to make use of my 30-day visa as much as I can and see as much as I could. My next stop was Hue, a city in central Vietnam that was housing the Nguyễn Dynasty emperors from 1802 to 1945. A major attraction is its 19th-century citadel, surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. The city was also the battleground for the Battle of Huế, which was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. Despite the historical importance of this place, I didn't plan on staying for too long. I booked a hostel for 2 nights.
Hue was boiling hot. During the day the temperature reached a high of 40°C. Walking around the city was unbearable, yet I somehow managed to witness the citadel. A beautiful sight with an amazing architectural structure. It was made a UNESCO site in 1993.
From Hue you can book a lot of interesting tours: to pagodas, temples, to an abandoned waterpark, to the Paradise cave, depending on all if you are interested. Admittedly after Da Lat and Hoi An, my energy levels just crashed. I was exhausted. Additionally, after sweating multiple liters of fluids due to the heatwave, I had neither the stamina nor the interest in the tour offerings. It also didn't help my spirit that I did not connect with anyone in the city. The hostel, I stayed in, was not a social place at all. When you travel solo, the choice of your hostel is crucial for socializing. In times of low energy, other like-minded travelers can give you the much-needed boost.
Yet if you happen to go to Hue, make sure to dine at Madam Thu Restaurant. One of THE best Vietnamese food I ate during my whole stay in this country.
After two nights I was on my way to the capital, Hanoi. Remember my not-so-positive verdict about sleeper buses? Well, one of the reasons was my transfer from Hue to Hanoi. I took a 12-hour overnight bus trip and arrived at dawn in Hanoi with no sleep in my bones. The bus dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, along some freeway. The second I got out, I was swarmed by taxi drivers. One of them just grabbed my backpack and said that he would take me to my hostel in the old quarter. Honestly, I had not the power to research, discuss or negotiate. I got into his taxi and we took off. Five minutes into the ride I discovered that he conveniently placed my backpack in the front seat, covering the taxi meter. After 15 minutes we arrived at my destination and he asked for 220,000 Vietnamese Dongs (approx. $10). A total rip-off, especially in Vietnam, yet I already was willing to pay the tourist fare once I entered his taxi. So I gave him 500,000 VND, a blue-colored bill. I even said, "here is 500,000". The second I looked away he switched the bill to 20,000 VND, also a blue bill. Within seconds an argument began. And this is the real downside of being a female solo traveler. In certain situations, you have to make a judgment call. Is it worth it to fight for your right until the end and put yourself in possible danger, or just let him take the win? In the end, I was alone, with a stranger in his car, in a city I don't know yet and it is nighttime with no one around. I decided to give in. A $30 loss, yet I made it safely out of the cab. Money made like this cannot be good karma anyways and I truly believe in that.
After my bumpy arrival in Hanoi, I had to shake off the negativity. If I learned one thing, it's that a bad attitude will only attract more unfortunate events like this. I checked into my hostel, took a shower, and a well-deserved nap. The moment I woke up the world looked totally fine again.
Hanoi is equally crazily crowded like Ho Chi Minh City and full of impressions. Chaos seems to be the order. After my first stroll around the city, I knew I'm going to love it here. I'm a fan of big Asian cities. You see so many people, eat loads of incredibly delicious food, and get lost between the millions of faces (and scooters). The first thing you notice is the smell. A mix of exhaust, fish sauce, freshly brewed coffee, and fried goodies. The weather changes in an instant when you travel up north. Hanoi was mostly rainy and covered in a haze when I was there. The temperature dropped to sweater-worthy degrees. Yet after boiling in Hue this was a welcomed change for me.
In my hostel, I met two amazing girls from Australia: Maddie and Aurelie. They were telling me about the shenanigans around the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, which take place early in the morning before the world wakes up. So one morning I actually kicked my butt out of bed at 6 am and walked over to the lake with them. From birthday parties to tai chi, from reunions of old friends to aerobic, Zumba, and various other dance exercises, a full-on fiesta was going on in the middle of Hanoi. And that before working hours begin. Definitely worth the very early wake-up call!
After returning from the lake I was in desperate need of coffee. As a coffee lover, I can say with certainty: Vietnam knows coffee. They offer it in all forms: freshly brewed black coffee (your beans of choice), add condensed milk if you like your coffee sweet, egg coffee (with foamed and sweetened egg-white on top = deliciousness!), coconut coffee smoothie, and many more. The latter was a specialty offered by Cong Caphe and it is a perfect 10. A must-try when in Vietnam! Cong Caphe is a Vietnamese coffee chain and was recommended by a friend of a friend way before my travels to Vietnam and I thought I give it a go while I was in Ho Chi Minh City.
When in Hanoi you should pay a visit to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. It celebrates their women, their strength during the wars, and in life in general. It explains the rituals growing up, coming out of age, and Vietnamese weddings and birth ceremonies. Very informative and eye-opening! If you want to understand the society here a little bit better, don't miss out on this.
I also stopped by at the Hanoi Train Street, as many tourists call it, where the railway track and houses almost blend into one. Similar to the Maeklong Railway Market in Bangkok, I am mesmerized by the coexistence like this. The passing of a steel train is just part of their daily life and the visual it offers is so one-of-a-kind.
The rest of my days I walked around in the city and did some serious people-watching (my favorite activity in a foreign country tbh). I took a series of portraits of painters, vendors, kids. The Vietnamese are not shy, very nice when approached, and more than willing to be photographed. I thoroughly enjoyed the short but sweet interactions with the locals!
From Hanoi, I headed to Sa Pa, a mountainous area ideal for trekking and meeting some of the minority tribes. I was looking forward to this since I arrived in Vietnam. I enjoy the big cities, but I love getting out and seeing the beautiful countryside. I heard a lot about Sa Pa and saw many pictures of the people who live there. Many of the families offer homestays. These are run mainly by the mother of a local family, who is called Mama by their visitors. Despite being a whole industry by now, Sa Pa homestays manage to offer an authentic glimpse into the local life in the mountains. You see where locals live, what they eat, how they cook, and then you also witness the struggles of their daily life, how they try to make an income, educate their kids, etc.
I stayed at Mama Sa’s house. I found her on Facebook and called her up. I asked to stay for three nights, including two guided trekking tours, meals, and pick-up and drop-off from the bus station. She asked for $50. What a deal! The second I arrived in Sa Pa, a weight lifted off me. A weight I didn’t know I was carrying tbh, but I just felt lighter and more tranquil. I took deeper breaths. It was purely magical!
Mama Sa’s house was located in a valley, 45 minutes from Sa Pa city center. I was picked up by her husband on a scooter. The house had a magnificent view of the mountains. After settling into my private room, I finally met Mama Sa in person. Sunshine of a woman. With the biggest smile, she hugged me, welcomed me, and immediately inquired if I need anything. After some chitchat, I retreated to my room and took a nap. With impeccable timing, I woke up to dinner and it was no joke! Mama Sa and her family put loads and loads of local dishes on the table. Her cooking skills are on point and the food was delicious: spring rolls, dried pork, beef, bean and local herb salads, pickled ginger, rice, and as an alternative even french fries. As a drink, it was a given to try the home-brewed rice wine, adorably called ‘happy water’. It was a feast!
In the meantime, some other travelers arrived too. The homestay hosts 5-15 people on average per day. By the way, Mama Sa cannot read or write, but she speaks perfect English. She learned it by simply listening and talking. I was more and more impressed by her with every passing minute.
I spent my days trekking through the valley and up the mountain. The views were just simply stunning. We passed various villages and met beautiful people along the way.
Also, it gets seriously cold in Sa Pa. So I had to put on every bit of long-sleeved cloth I had with me.
Women in Sa Pa nourish their families by earning money through trekking tours and/or selling handmade bracelets, rugs, bags, etc. Clothed in their traditional outfits, they know they are the main attraction here. They run the show!
You don’t see much of their husbands and yet you do hear of their reputation. Coming first hand from the women themselves, stories of physical abuse, alcohol addiction, and adultery are unfortunately regular happenings in the North. Someone even told me that it’s supposedly very common that women flee into China, running away from their husbands, sometimes even leaving their kids behind and starting a new life. The suppression seems to start early in a young woman’s life: Every year a “love market “ is organized. Traditionally when a young man likes a girl, he gathers his friends for help and kidnaps the girl on this day. The girl can scream and cry as much as she wants, nobody will help her because kidnapping is legitimized through tradition. The girl will then remain with the boy, at his house, for three days. In the end, she will be asked if she would like to marry the boy.
The homestay and trekking industry gives women in Sa Pa independence. Especially in the last couple of years, women feel more and more empowered. They learn new languages and meet a lot of people. It was an incredible experience to meet these women.
After returning to Hanoi my next plan was to go to Halong Bay, but unfortunately, the weather was rainy and grey. So I decided to postpone Halong Bay and enjoy Hanoi a little bit more.
At my hostel, I met Daniel. A 20-year-old German, who came to Hanoi to renew his Burmese visa. He was traveling in Myanmar for a while and he was eager to go back there to volunteer at a charity for three weeks. He was raving about a dish at the restaurant, where former US President Obama dined with renowned chef and traveler Anthony Bourdain. I thought: What's good for the president, is good for me. So one night I hopped on Daniel's bike and we drove to Bún Chả Hương Liên. I ordered the Bún Chả, a Vietnamese dish of grilled pork (chả) and noodle (bún) in nước chấm sauce, a sweet, sour, salty, savory and spicy sauce. And it was yummy! I highly recommend trying it, you will not regret it.
On my last night in Hanoi, and eventually, in Vietnam, a guy named Philip, who worked at the hostel I stayed in, insisted on going out. I didn't want to be a Debbie Downer, so I let my hair down. We went to Central Backpackers Hostel's rooftop bar. At one point I was approached by a very eager backpacker from the UK. So we started talking and during the conversation, I got the hint that he was quite young. When he mentioned that he just finished high school, I had to ask about his age. He was 18 years old. The second he said that Philip, who overheard our conversation, burst into laughter. Confused by all the laughter, he asked "Why? What’s going on?". When he heard that I was 30, his face just dropped. "And that is the exact reaction I was aiming for!" Age was an almost non-existent concept during my travels tbh. But it was definitely a weapon of mockery when used wisely. The young chap changed the topic real fast and remained with me for five more minutes until he finally said, blushing deeply: "No offense, but I'm 18. So I'm just gonna go now and party." I laughed and assured him that it is ok and that it is a mistake that he whiled with me for that long. Before saying goodbye he said that "you can come and party, too" to that I countered "No, you go have fun. Granny needs to sit down."
The next morning I, unfortunately, had to say goodbye to Vietnam, but not without promising myself that I will be back for more!