We were able to roll some sightseeing into our transfer from Hue to Hoi An, taking in the Hai Van Pass of Top Gear fame. That’s actually how they advertise it: “as seen on Top Gear”, which is a little bit sad. Our dislike of, and more importantly our inability to ride, motorbikes has somewhat … Continue reading Hoi An – A place to get fat and get threads
Vietnam
Hue and the DMZ
The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) was a buffer zone 5km either side of the Ben Hai river. It was put in place by the 1954 Geneva Convention as a demilitarised area along the border between Northern and Southern Vietnam. The area was subject to some of the most aggressive bombing during the Vietnam war whilst propaganda … Continue reading Hue and the DMZ
Phong Nha – “C’est f**king beau!”
We came to the conclusion that an overnight train from Hanoi to Phong Nha was not the best use of our time; we wouldn’t have seen any scenery overnight and it was as cheap to fly so we took the short one hour hop to Dong Hoi and then jumped in a private transfer on … Continue reading Phong Nha – “C’est f**king beau!”
Hanoi: a town where pyjamas are a legitimate daywear option
This blog is two Hanoi visits combined in to one; we stopped over for a day between Lan Ha Bay and Sa Pa, and then came back again after Sa Pa but we thought it would be easier to just smush it all together into one. Our first hotel in Hanoi hadn’t particularly blown us … Continue reading Hanoi: a town where pyjamas are a legitimate daywear option
Sa Pa: Hiking and Happy Water
We were childishly excited about getting on a VIP sleeper bus even though our journey would take place 100% during daylight hours. We needed to get to the bus first, and a nice man with a tiny green car showed up at our Hanoi hotel to transfer us to the bus stop. For a short … Continue reading Sa Pa: Hiking and Happy Water
Having a blast in the karsts – Lan Ha Bay, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island
After some internet research and pounding the Hanoi pavement, we decided that we wanted to do two nights out on the water to allow us to get away from the crowds and also to give us some time to explore Cat Ba Island National Park. We settled on a two day three night trip through … Continue reading Having a blast in the karsts – Lan Ha Bay, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island
That first magical taste of Hanoi
Of all of the places that we have visited, we were armed with more information about Hanoi than anywhere else (thanks GST!) and we were so excited to get there. Arriving in the Old Town felt to us like the quintessential traveller experience where all of your senses are given a jolt in the very … Continue reading That first magical taste of Hanoi
The Rolling Stones 