My husband and I returned from Vietnam yesterday. We had an eight-day holiday in Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Sapa. Verdict. Worth a visit.

We didn’t go to or see everything recommended on the numerous travel sites. The plan was to do what we could without rushing from A to B. It was a holiday, after all.

Anyways, these were some sites we visited.

Ninh Binh

Ngoa Long Mountain

Just outside Tam Coc, where we stayed, is the widely advertised Mua Cave. I thought it was primarily a visit to a cave. It was but the real attraction was the hike up Ngoa Long Mountain (NLM), which was oddly/popularly described as Mua Cave. On a good spring/summer day, the 500 steps up NLM would probably offer scenic views of rice fields, lotus flowers, and mountain goats that foraged on medicinal plants. Will get to the goats in a bit.

As it was mid-February and winter, the view was mysteriously misty.  Getting to the pinnacle was a tad tedious as people traffic, which I didn’t expect, was heavy and plodding. My like was the cool temperature, which was conducive for hiking. And, the uneven height of the stone steps was a nice challenge.

Yes… the goats. Ninh Binh, the province where Tam Coc, Hao Lu and Trang An are located, is renowned for mountain goat meat. The goats eat the medicinal plants and people eat the goats. We saw whole roasted goats and goats’ heads sold at stalls along the road. And, there were goat dishes on most restaurant menus.

Trang An

The mesmerising pictures on Google of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is justified.  Again, although we didn’t see burst of pink water lilies floating on the waterways, rowing, and enjoying clear enough views of trees, mountains and occasional ducks was peaceful and special. Even more special was the boat ride through not one but three caves. My favourite was the one-km long cave that hung so low in parts that we had to bow our heads to avoid a  bump/concussion. The stalactites and stalagmites were also photo worthy. My husband and I have visited caves and ridden boats through caves but this was exceptional.

Bai Dinh Pagoda

There was so much to marvel at on this 700-hectare complex. I liked the 10,000 Buddha statues and 500 disciples that lined an almost 3km long corridor. And, the majestic golden statues of Buddha – past, present, and future – literally moved me. There was a sense of peace and tranquility, a far cry from the day’s hustle and bustle where/when we were bumping into tourists. There was no one around except my husband and me, and our guide. This is my top pick.

Sapa

It took us a mighty long eight hours to reach Sapa town from Ninh Binh. Six hours if we had started from Hanoi.  Thick fog, and no street lights or reflectors made the drive harrowing, particularly as there were many winding bends. Quite honestly, we were happy just to arrive at our resort.  

We expected colder weather but not the heavy mist and fog. It hung like an opaque veil. And, felt oppressive, almost claustrophobic. In fact, a staff at the hotel showed us, on his mobile, heavy rain and fog at Fansipan Mountain – the morning that we had planned to visit.  He smilingly asked us if we had come to enjoy Sapa’s weather. The answer was yes. My husband and I prefer colder temperatures only because it’s always hot and humid in KL.  Cold, rain, clouds, mist, fog. Meh … we carried on.

Fansipan Mountain

It’s the highest point on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in Vietnam.  At 3,147 metres, it’s also known as the ‘Roof of Indochina.’ We got to the top by cable car and funicular train. Easy and efficient. As for the views, well… at least it didn’t rain.

Sapa Glass Bridge

The scale and engineering involved made it a worthwhile visit. At over 2000m in height, the bridge is made of three layers of crystal-clear tampered glass, with a thickness of 7cm. The views were amazing, when there was no fog. It didn’t rain either. Yay.

Lao Chai and Ta Van villages

We did a 3km walk whilst learning about the Black H’Moung and Giay ethnic people. It was authentic, albeit touristy.

And finally, we managed to ‘see’, at least momentarily, what our resort looked like and the mountain/hill view that was promised by our Panoramic Suite, when the clouds lifted a little, on our last day in Sapa. Yay😀

Hanoi

We spent a day and a half in the city on our return journey. 

Hanoi Train Street

A must-do. We watched and video ‘ed a working train barrel down the railway track, flanked by restaurants and customers, mainly tourists (including us), who’d booked front row seats, food, and drinks for this marvel of a spectacle. It felt surreal even after we’d seen the train race furiously past us. It was a tad close for comfort but so much fun.

A nice-to-do was ambling along, and absorbing life in Hanoi city.

All in all, it was a holiday to remember.