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Writer's pictureShabbir Baldiwala

Vietnam - a timeless charm

Updated: Feb 29




This ‘sliver’ of a land ‘marinated’ with a history of war and ‘flavoured’ with a tropical uniqueness makes it a ‘gourmet’ place to savour…


“Vietnam” is a combination of two Vietnamese words.

“Viet” - in ancient Vietnamese language meaning pre-eminent or descendants of a dragon soaring to the sun,

“Nam” means - of the southern territory.


There is a lot of history to this country, the most famous being the US-Vietnam war.

There is a huge difference between reading about the destruction and actually feeling it.

The after effects of the war have lasted for generations and their presence can be felt till this date.

A visit to the War remnants museum at Ho Chi Minh City and to the Lacquered wares handicapped workshop en route Cu Chi tunnels, is enough to give you goosebumps.




 

Index


Ho Chi Minh city

Hanoi

Halong Bay


 

Vietnamese Cuisine


The Chinese philosophy of 5 elements explains the interaction and relationship between everything in the world.

The Vietnamese adopted the 5 elements of this philosophy in their own culture especially in their cuisine.




Pho, Vietnamese staple food
Pho

The traditional Vietnamese cuisine is quite different from what our palate has been experiencing all these years. If you can manage to keep your sensitivities and religious inhibitions behind, your mouth will start watering at every nook and corner of these cities.






Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Vietnamese rice paper rolls


Street food is what Vietnam is known for.

Banh mi, Pho, Bun cha, and the list goes on and on.

Fruits are in abundance and the exotic SE Asian ones can be tasted here.



Rambutan - SE Asian exotic fruit
Rambutan



Mangosteen - SE Asian exotic fruit
Mangosteen

The difference in cuisine between the cities of Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi is quite distinct.


 

Vietnamese tradition and belief




Non la - Vietnamese headwear
Non la

The image of a young lady wearing nón lá and áo dài is a beautiful symbol of Vietnam.



As a communist country, Vietnam is officially an atheist state. Even so, most Vietnamese are not atheists, but believe in a combination of three religions: Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.



A small ornately carved “temple” is a feature in almost all the restaurants, hotels and shops with flowers, fruits, incense, chocolate, coke and even beer as ‘offerings’.

These are actually altars to honor the ancestors, Kitchen Gods and the

Wealth God.



Turtle - symbol of longevity and wisdom

The Turtle is one of the nation's four holy creatures - the others are the Dragon, the Unicorn and the Phoenix. It is a symbol of longevity and wisdom.


 

The Flag of Vietnam


The red background symbolizes revolution and bloodshed. The golden star represents the five main classes in Vietnamese society — intellectuals, farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, and soldiers.


Vietnam flag

 

Shopping at Vietnam


When shopping, make sure not to fall in a tourist trap. The Ben Thanh shopping market at Ho Chi Minh is one such.

A mall at the Central Market in District 1, Ho Chi Minh is a good place to shop.

Margins are huge and your bargaining skills can be tested here.

Shops in the streets offer good pricing too.

The Night market and the Wholesale market at Dong Xuan are a steal in Hanoi.



 

Local travel


The easiest way to travel is by booking a scooter or cab via the app, GRAB. Renting a two-wheeler is another common way of commute for tourists. You can find Cyclos, which are traditional manual rickshaws especially in the Old Quarter in Hanoi.


Cyclos in Vietnam
Cyclos

 

Itinerary


For the first visit to Vietnam, the more common tourist places should be a part of the plan. There is always scope for future visits to the country because it has a lot to offer. Beach towns, islands, mountains, etc can form a separate itinerary altogether. The proximity to India, a direct 5 hr flight, and hassle free e-visa

process, make it a very friendly holiday destination for Indians.



Tip: Ensure to spend at least 2 days of the weekend at Hanoi. 
Fri/Sat at Hanoi (to shop at the night market) and Sunday at Ho Chi Minh (to stroll at the Bui vien walking street and feel the vibes of a sinful night life).

Bui Vien walking street, Ho Chi Minh city
Bui Vien walking street, Ho Chi Minh city

Bui Vien walking street, Ho Chi Minh city


Ho Chi Minh city

3 nights

Hanoi

3 nights

Halong bay

1 night (aboard a cruise)


 


Ho Chi Minh City


Situated in the Southeast region of Vietnam, the city surrounds the Saigon River.


Formerly it was called Saigon.


In 1975, North Vietnam won the war and changed the name of Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City, in honour of the revolutionary leader of the communist party.


The locals still prefer calling it Saigon.


 



War remnants museum

War remnants museum

A sombreness engulfs while visiting this place.

Tankers with cannon guns, missiles dropped on the innocent, etc showcase the atrocities faced by the local people with a complete violation of human rights. Agent Orange was sprayed indiscriminately and its effects are being faced by the Vietnamese for generations.

 



Bên Thanh market
Bên Thanh market

The iconic clock tower at the entrance is symbolic of Ho Chi Minh city.

This big market has 4 entries and a variety of products are sold here ranging from silk scarves, materials, lacquer ware, ceramics, fruits, clothing and accessories.

After 6 pm it becomes a night market and has many food stalls where one can try local food.

 



It was originally called Norodom Palace and once served as the seat of the French colonial government.


In 1954, this building was renamed Independence Palace after Vietnam got independence from French rule.

It is now called Reunification Palace - the symbolic site of the liberation of Saigon by communist forces that reunited the nation on April 30, 1975.



 



Kim travel, Vietnam - Visit to Cu chi tunnels

It is a must visit when in Vietnam. At 1.5 hrs drive from Saigon, it is a half day activity. It can also be combined with the Mekong Delta tour for a full day’s program. A visit to the Cu chi tunnels cost depends on the size of the group. It is always advisable to take a smaller one. A guide will always accompany and take you through the Cu Chi tunnels.



Cu Chi tunnels

Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc Tunnels are the 2 Cu Chi tunnels. The visit is planned to either one of them depending on the group size.



This ingenious system of man made tunnels and traps shows the resilience, intelligence and pride of the Vietnamese and is a symbol of revolutionary heroism of the people here.

Just like clever rabbits who make a warren, the Viet congs formed an invisible underground army and trapped the enemy or escaped easily from them.

The various strategies adopted by the Viet Congs to defeat the US army were explained beautifully and animatedly by our guide Lockie.

It reminded of the ‘Chatur Khargosh’ tales we had heard in childhood.





 

Hanoi



The Old Quarter is the name commonly given to the commercial heart of Hanoi.

It is overcrowded with narrow 3-6 storied buildings which run deep inside. It has 36 streets each dedicated to a particular trade.



Craftsmen from villages around the city used to gather in one area of their guild to sell their wares to merchants. The crafts or guilds of each area gave the names to the streets of the quarter, so that most streets acquired names starting with hàng ("wares"), such as Hàng Tre street ("bamboo wares street") and Hàng Đồng street ("copper wares street"), Hang Bac(silver street), Hàng Gai (Silk Street).




Walking through these streets is similar to walking through the lanes around Crawford market in Mumbai where there is Zaveri bazar, Lohar chawl, party gully etc. The only difference is the cleanliness. These streets, though overcrowded, are much cleaner…

There are many eateries in these lanes too.



Activity in Hanoi starts from early morning. Scooters going to and fro interspersed with vendors, tourists and locals all brave the sultry weather…and when it rains, out come the ponchos and rainwear, no activity stops; locals continue with their daily routine.

Roadside eatery owners start dicing the vegetables and meat and ready the ingredients for pho and other local foods.



Vendors in Non la - their wares on two baskets suspended from a bamboo carried across their shoulders is a common sight in the old quarters.


 

Night Market


Weekends - Fri, Sat and Sun, are time for the Night Market in Hanoi.

The busy Hang Dao street transforms into a walking street and vehicles are not allowed during the night market that starts after 7 pm.

The market starts from Hoàn Kiếm Lakeside and runs the length of Hang Dao Street to the Dong Xuan Market.

Clothes, accessories, shoes, handicrafts, souvenirs are all available here.

Corners are dotted with roadside eateries selling local food and juices.

The diaspora of people coming from different lands to visit the night market forms a unique mosaic of colours and cultures which should not be missed.



 

Temple of Literature




Temple of literature

It is one of several temples in Vietnam which is dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars.

The temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese đồng banknote.

It has 5 courtyards. It was here that the great scholars and royal princes once studied.


 

Hoan Kiem Lake - "Lake of the Returned Sword"



Hoan Kim lake, Hanoi, Vietnam

According to a legend, a golden turtle God appeared before an emperor while he was boating on the lake and asked for his magical sword to be returned. '‘The world will only be at peace when all the weapons are destroyed’', it said. The emperor returned it and from then onwards, the lake is known as Hoan Kiem.



 



Hanoi Train street

Hanoi train street

Hanoi train street

Entry to the train street is given only if you sit in a cafe and order something to eat or drink.

The train timings are very erratic and different cafes show different timetables. Visit the place after 7 pm and wait patiently for the train to arrive, sipping coffee or a beer meanwhile.

The narrow houses on either side of the railway track have been converted into small cafés. Tourists sit in these cafés and wait for the train to pass and when it arrives with a whistle, it is less than a meter away from the houses.



 

Halong bay



A cruise to Halong bay, a UNESCO world heritage site.


Paid pickup from the Hanoi airport or from the city is provided by the Arcady Boutique cruise team in a shuttle bus. It is advisable to take it. 2 hrs drive to the Halong bay International port. The cruise manager will receive you at the port and get the luggage loaded and complete the check in formalities.


Arcady Boutique Cruise
Arcady Boutique Cruise

A small “tender” boat always accompanies the Cruise for accessibility to shallow sites.


Day 1:



Lunch is served and the first meal on the cruise gives a glimpse of what beholds.



In the evening, the tender takes you to a Kayaking area where a 45 min kayak can take you up close to the limestone structures.



From there onwards, a short 1 hr excursion to the Ti Top island wherein you can take a trek upwards to catch a glimpse of the beautiful landscape of the Halong bay.


And spend some time to swim on the beach.



Ti Top island
Ti Top island

Since Halong bay is increasing in popularity and getting more commercialized, you can expect a lot of crowd at all these places.


It’s now back to the cruise for some rest followed by a cooking show and it’s soon dinner time.







All meals on board are included in the itinerary and the chef takes care of individual sensitivities and preferences. Menus are preset and served on the table. Steamed prawns, stuffed crabs, oysters, stir-fried squids, steamed fish, Bun cha (a Vietnamese speciality), salads, fruits.

I have to confess that the dining experience was nothing short of being surreal.


A few board games post dinner, and it’s time to doze off after a hectic but fun-filled day at the bay.



 

Day2:


Starts off with some Tai chi experience followed by a light breakfast.



It’s now time to take off to the Hang Sung Sot caves. Vietnam is well known for its caves.

Hang Sung Sot caves
Hang Sung Sot caves

Hang Sung Sot caves

A 45 min trek into the cave and it’s back to the cruise and time for a sumptuous brunch.


The cruise returns to the port for dropping off its guests at 11 am.


The above is the itinerary for a 2D/1N cruise.

A day cruise or 3D/2N options are available as well.





"Vietnam's cuisine, landscapes and warm hospitality make it a destination that will steal your heart."
 









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