Halong Bay

We took a bus from Hanoi to Halong City where we planned to organize a boat trip to Cat Ba (the only populated island) and a tour around Halong Bay. Most travelers to Halong Bay organize a tour package from Hanoi for 2-3 days (hotels, transportation and activities are all planned). We try to avoid tours for the most part, preferring to travel on our own schedule and avoiding large tourist groups. In hindsight, it would have probably been in our best interest to book a package for this specific journey.

We started by purchasing a one-way ticket to Cat Ba which included a tour of Halong Bay, with over 3000 limestone karsts rising from the Gulf of Tonkin and innumerable caves throughout. It was a beautiful tour of the bay, small floating villages and schools within the maze of islands. We stopped to tour of one of the caves which had a beautiful ray of light beaming through. The boat was comfortable with a dining area and a top deck with lounge chairs and we met quite a few other travelers from around the world who also avoided the tour package.

The problem was the boat dropped us off on the far end of the island (about 45 minutes away from the main town, over mountains and winding roads). We quickly realized that there were buses for the tour groups but no transportation for those who were on their own. We were in an uninhabited part of the island and at the mercy of those who provided transportation services. In all, there were 12 of us who didn’t have transportation and we went back and forth with the drivers/touts at the pier over costs. They wanted to charge $10 per person for what should have been a $3 ride, everyone refused based simply on principle.

We spent hours at the pier, trying to contact hotels for transportation, talking to the other boat drivers and haggling at the pier. They knew we were at their mercy and it was just a matter of time before we gave in. All of the buses left, the sun was setting and we were on a pier surrounded by motorbikes. Two Australian guys absolutely refused to pay the amount they were demanding so they started the 30 km hike to the other side of the island. The rest of us eventually gave in and hopped on motorbikes ($6 to the other end of the island). It scared the hell out of us to have to ride a motorbike for such a long journey with large backpacks. The ride was long but beautiful, mountains and valleys with small villages in between.

We found a hotel quickly and for only $8 had a room with a beautiful view of the bay. I would like to say that we had a nice stay but we just didn’t enjoy the area so much. The people weren’t very friendly and it just wasn’t as beautiful as we thought it would be. The nicest person we met was a young deaf girl who only spoke Vietnamese. You’d be surprised how well you can communicate by drawing pictures and gesturing with hands. We tried to make the best of our time there, trying out the different restaurants and meeting other travelers but after a couple of days we were ready to leave. Overall, Halong Bay is beautiful but completely overdeveloped and overrated. It was nice to get back to Hanoi and we spent another 4 nights there before booking our train tickets to Sapa, in the far northwest of Vietnam on the border with China.

Good Morning, Vietnam!

We arrived in Hanoi early in the morning and were both exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and the 4am wake-up call to go to the airport. Upon our arrival in Hanoi, we quickly passed through immigration and the driver for our hotel was waiting for us outside. The drive from the airport to Hanoi was beautiful; thick, low-laying fog against a landscape of women working in rice fields and men plowing with oxen. Within 30 minutes we arrived in the colorful Old Quarter, where our hotel is located.

Hanoi is filled with small French colonial style buildings and this Capital city is packed with charm. Throughout each street and alleyway you can find cafes serving deliciously strong coffee/tea and an abundance of bakeries offering delicious bite-size cakes and mousses for about 10,000 Dong ($.66) because of the strong French influence. For being a Capital city it is surprisingly easy to walk from one end to the other, except for the traffic. The manager of the hotel gave us just one piece of advice before we left, warning us about crossing the streets, “look, walk slowly, DON’T STOP or turn back, and don’t worry, you wont get hit”. After being in Delhi, Bombay, Jodhpur and Bangkok we figured it couldn’t be much different. We were wrong. Matt learned his lesson within the first hour when he had his pinky toe run over :). It seems there are as many motorbikes as there are people (Hanoi’s population is 5 million) and sure enough if you cross the street slowly and without stopping, the drivers will weave their way around you. The interesting thing about the traffic situation is that 20 years ago there were no motorbikes and everyone used bicycles. There are a few busy intersections that have street lights but no one seems to obey them…it’s almost like they are for decoration only. At night the city slows down completely though and the streets are nearly silent.

People within Hanoi are very welcoming, always smiling, sometimes asking a little bit about you and where you are from, but few try to hustle or sell you things. We found a good Vietnamese restaurant next to our hotel that we went to at least once a day. The beef noodle soup is unbelievable and cheap, 25,000 Dong (about $1.66), and the beers are 11,000 Dong ($.70) for a 20 oz. mug. The great thing about this restaurant is that the family that works there also lives in the restaurant in an open air loft upstairs. While we’re eating dinner they are usually cooking similar dishes for themselves and most of the time the children are in pajamas waiting to go to bed. Good, clean, cheap meals with a lot of charm.

We spent a lot of time exploring the Old Quarter, narrow streets which change names every block or so, each street dedicated to a specific trade or craft. For example, Hang Bac sells silver, Hang Tre has bamboo, Hang Ca sells fish, Hang Thiec is lined with tin items. Women walk the streets carrying baskets of fruits, snacks, etc for sale and men drive people around on cyclo taxis. There is so much going on all around you and every street you turn on offers something different. We ate at various cafes, drank great coffee and watched the city pass by.

We visited the Hoa Lo prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by US POWs held there during the Vietnam war. It was constructed by the french in 1896 to hold communist revolutionaries but between 1964 and 1973, it was used to hold prisoners of war. The cells still contain the iron gates that clamped one foot in place, the original french guillotine is still standing and there are areas where torture took place. On the walls are mostly stories of communist revolutionaries but there are some pictures of famous inmates like John McCain receiving treatment by Vietnamese doctors. The prison is an eery place to walk through, especially after reading more about the events that occured there.

The next day we explored the Revolutionary Museum, which explores Vietnam’s past and present. The museum takes you through a timeline of events from the early 1600’s, through the French occupation and repression, photos of child soldiers, revolutionary newspapers and weapons, then taking you through exhibits and artifacts from the American war, pieces of airplanes, uniforms and missles. The photographs, stories and artifacts are extremely powerful and emphasize Vietnam’s strength as a nation.

Our last day was spent wandering around the Duan Xuan market, Vietnam’s oldest and largest market, three stories of shops selling everything from spices to clothing. After dinner we went to the Water Puppet theater. It was a great show with traditional Vietnamese music and puppets playing out stories on a stage of water. The tradition started over 1,000 years ago, when people put on puppet shows in the rice fields for the amuzement of their children.

After the water puppet theater, we went to the only jazz bar in Hanoi, known for the international artists who have played there. The music was great and we’ve posted some short video clips.

After 7 great nights in Hanoi, we knew it was time to move on. We could have stayed longer but it was time to leave for Halong Bay. We’ll be back again for sure.

Last Week in Thailand

We spent some time in Krabi trying to figure out our travel plans; we’ve decided to go to Vietnam next and applied for visas and arranged flights. Once we had our travel arrangements made we went to Ton Sai, one of our favorite beaches, to spend our last week in Thailand. It was a great week, warm during the day and cool at night, pouring rain in the afternoon and tides changing from hour to hour. We saw a few old friends and made a few new ones. We spent some time in Krabi Town; going to the morning market and sampling the different foods there. We went kayaking again, this time to a further destination. Koh Poda is about 8 km away from Ton Sai and being in the open ocean it took a bit more work to get there, taking us almost an hour and a half to get there. We were rewarded with beautiful beaches once we arrived though. There were quite a few boats on the island but only one kayak; apparently we were the only ones crazy enough to paddle out there… We spent some time swimming at the main beach before finding our own quiet spot on the other side. The fish on the main beach are so used to being fed by tourists that they swim around you hoping for a piece of bread or something. It was cute for a little while until one bit me in the leg, people shouldn’t feed fish on the beach :(. After a couple of hours we started paddling back and we were both sore and exhausted at the end. The last few days were spent relaxing and reading on the beach.

We flew into Bangkok with only two nights to spend. It seemed like enough time as neither of us are really into big cities and the chaos that comes with it. Bangkok is such a beautiful city though with so much to see and do, I find myself wishing I could stay longer. We are staying in the main tourist area of Khao San Rd; lined with restaurants, bars and shops selling just about everything. Since we didn’t have much time to visit the many historical temples around Bangkok; we had to choose just one. We decided to go to Wat Pho and of all the temples in Bangkok, I’m really happy we were able to see this one. Wat Pho is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok; housing the country’s largest reclining Buddha. The reclining Buddha is 46m long and 15m high, showing the Buddha passing into final nirvana. It’s truly an amazing site to see, covered in gold while the feet/eyes are made from mother of pearl and truly larger than life.

Afterward, we took the express boat down the Chao Phraya River which cuts through the city of Bangkok, the west being the old city while the east is full of modern high-rise buildings. The boats are used by many for commuter transport so you see a mix of professionals, school children, monks and tourists. It’s a great and inexpensive way to get around Bangkok. We didn’t really know our way around the city so we wandered through side streets along the river trying to find the boat station. These tiny streets are mostly used for storing and selling spices and dried goods, which leave a pungent aroma in the air (especially the dried fish). Once we arrived at the station we decided to head to Chinatown. We’ve heard from other travelers that it is one of the busier/crazier parts of Bangkok. Once again, we didn’t really know our way around so we ventured through the streets making our way through the traffic, sort of like a game of frogger except the consequences are worse. After about 20 minutes we arrived in the middle of the chaos of Chinatown. It seems that every major city has a Chinatown and for the most part it’s all the same; thousands of people, stores, food vendors, etc. It’s the same in Bangkok but on a large scale. The shops are located in no particular order, e.g. a jewelry store will be next to a dried fish stand, then a traditional Chinese pharmacy, then an underwear store, and then a durian fruit stand. Also, the traffic in Chinatown is just like any other congested city in Asia; organized chaos. Cars, bikes, tuk-tuks, buses, trucks, motorcycles zoom past thousands of people and there are very few accidents. Overall Chinatown was a fun experience but didn’t have much to offer for shopping, except for the tasty and interesting snacks from the food stalls.

We have a 6:45am flight to Hanoi, Vietnam tomorrow. We are both looking forward to seeing a new country and Hanoi is another capital city with experiences to offer. Hopefully it will be just as fun to get lost in.

Back in Thailand...

We just spent the last two weeks island hopping in Thailand with Matt’s Mom and her friend Stacey. They arrived on March 15th and we spent 2 days exploring Krabi; taking long-tail boats to Railay Beach and kayaking to the local islands from Ton Sai Bay. We then went straight down to our favorite island in Thailand, Koh Lipe. It was great to be back again and see friends from our last visit. The weather in Lipe has changed dramatically since we were last here. On Koh Lipe, when the low season begins (end of April - October), the winds move in opposite directions moving from the south-west instead of north-east. This changes the currents on the surface and underneath the water and for 3 days it was clear and very hot during the day while at night there were powerful thunderstorms. We went to Jack’s Jungle Bar (appropriately named for it’s location in the middle of the jungle) one night when a storm was at its peak. Their generator was broken and with no moon, the place was completely dark, which made for an amazing show of lightening that evening.

As luck would have it, Matt contracted a bad ear infection after his first swim so diving and swimming were out of the question for the following week. Luckily, Karma bar is situated on our favorite sandbar beach so while Matt was staying out of the sun, the rest of us went snorkeling and swimming. Stacey had a rare experience at the beach, getting stung in the ankle by a stingray which almost pierced through the other side. Her leg immediately started to go numb and a helpful bystander picked her up and carried her to the only health clinic on the island. After an anti-venom shot and soaking it in hot water, she felt much better but it was still a bit of a scare. We thoroughly enjoyed our last days in Lipe, swimming out to the sandbar at low tide, unforgettable sunsets and great seafood dinners.

Time passed by too fast though, we all had heavy hearts the night before we had to leave and were contemplating extending our visit even longer (we had already extended our stay by 3 days). We left for Koh Lanta and enjoyed just 2 days there before going back to Krabi. We spent our last day touring Phi Phi Leh, Maya Bay (made famous by the movie “The Beach”), Monkey Island and Bamboo Island. The tour stops for snorkeling and swimming and we all saw some beautiful fish and coral.

On March 28th it was time to say goodbye to Matt’s mom and Stacey, although I have a feeling they’ll be coming back sooner rather than later… We’ll be in Ton Sai Bay for another few days while we wait for our Vietnam visa, then we’ll be heading north to Bangkok. Close to 4 months in Thailand and I have yet to see the capitol city so it should be interesting!

Siem Reap to Sihanoukville

We hired a driver to take us through Cambodia, only an 8 hour drive from North to South, passing amazing scenery along the way; monks wandering streets collecting alms for the poor, slaughtered animals being taken to local markets and rural village life scattered in a jungle landscape along the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers. We drove through Phnom Penh, at the convergence on the two rivers, with no plans to stop and sightsee. Neither of us had much interest in seeing S-21 and the mass graves within the Killing Fields, the stories are chilling enough.

We arrived in Sihanoukville, a beach town along the undeveloped southern coast and found a place to stay on Serendipity Beach. The crescent shaped beach is lined with restaurants and bars and the atmosphere is extremely relaxed due to the lawlessness of the area. We found our spot on the beach with comfortable beach chairs, good music and friendly staff and spent the next 6 days not moving much. During the day, people stop by to sell just about anything; manicures, massages, jewelry, sarongs, fruits/vegetables, drinks, meats, fish, etc. You literally don’t need to move from your beach chair as the entire market comes to you. The kids are especially hard to say no to but will usually just sit down hang out once they know you aren’t going to buy anything.

The week went by rather fast and we were flying back to Thailand on March 14th to meet Matt’s Mom.

Floating Villages

We spent our last couple of days in Siem Reap going to the floating villages and floating forest. The floating villages are a sight to see, to get there you take a local boat which slowly takes you down the river, passing children on their way to school, men fishing in waist deep water and tending to alligator traps. The floating villages are separated into three sections; the Muslims, Vietnamese and Khmers, although it’s almost impossible to see any differences. All of the homes/boats are the same with a handful of schools and temples/mosques scattered around the lake. Life for the people living on the lake is very primitive, everyone using the natural resources to survive. Most homes have bamboo cages with pigs, chickens, fish (mostly bottom feeders), and alligators. All of which are used for food while the alligator skin is used to sell back to the markets in Siem Reap. Mostly, fish is sun dried with salt and other seasonings as a preservative. The fish can last for months without rotting; needless to say the process has a strong odor. Tonle Sap Lake is pretty eerie, there is absolutely no visibility and an abundance of alligators and snakes.

The second day we went to the floating forest which is similar to the floating villages but on a different section of the lake. During monsoon season, the rivers rise and flow over the banks allowing you to take a small boat through the forest which seems to be floating. There aren’t many tourists at the floating forest, probably due to the long process of getting there. You take a tuk-tuk about 15 km outside of Siem Reap down dirt roads and passing by rural villages. You then need to hop on the back of a motorcycle for the rest of the journey as the dirt roads are in bad shape and cars/tuk-tuks cannot pass over them.

The motorcycle ride was longer than expected, about 20 minutes and down eroded paths, sand beds and at one point a flooded out section of road (where Matt’s motorcycle went down). It was an interesting ride to say the least! When we reached the river we watched our boat pull up, the driver shoveling out buckets of water before letting us on.

Life here is much like that of the floating villages,On this side of the river, you see stilt villages built to withstand flooding during the monsoon season. very primitive. After our tour, we went back to Siem Reap with one day left to do absolutely nothing. We’ve seen so much in such a short period of time, we’re both exhausted.

We’ve moved on to Sihoukaville, a beach town along the coast and about an 8 hours drive through the middle of Cambodia, where we’ll relax until going to Phnom Phen to fly back to Thailand.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

We arrived in Siem Reap in the early afternoon, stepped off the plane onto the tarmac and completed a short visa process to enter the country. We pulled money out of the ATM and it was strange to see US dollars again. The official currency in Cambodia is Riel but since so much US currency was put into the country after the war, it’s used for everything. Siem Reap is a beautiful place with friendly people and a great atmosphere. Although Matt was here last year, this is my first time in Cambodia and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. So far this place has surpassed all expectations and I find myself not wanting to leave.

Since we arrived early, we had some time to walk around the local markets, such a colorful place with fruits, vegetables, meats, clothes, jewelry, crafts, etc. We are staying in the heart of the old market at Molly Malone’s, which has a great restaurant and an Irish pub downstairs. We’ve met some fascinating people sitting down at the pub with incredible stories. We met an American doctor who has been providing care for people in Cambodia for next to nothing in the rural villages, trying to setup an ambitious telemedicine project to provide better care. Cambodia has a tragic and recent history, in 1969 it was bombed and invaded by US and Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam conflict during which time there were between 4-6,000,000 landmines laid, most of which are only found today when someone steps on one. So far only 90 sq km of the country has been cleared leaving over 3,000 sq km left so it’s important not to stray even a few steps from a path or main road. You see so many people with no limbs and it breaks your heart, especially when you see the children. One of the things immediately noticed when coming here is the almost non-existence of anyone over the age of 50. During the Pol Pot regime, one-fifth of the population was tortured to death or executed (mainly those who were educated, spoke other languages, or even wore glasses). Between 1975 and 1979 over 2 million out of 11 million Cambodians died as a direct result of the Khmer Rouge and almost everyone you meet will have suffered directly or indirectly as a result. Today over 40% of the population is under the age of 15 which is a depressing statistic considering their education system is extremely poor. Cambodians are a happy and proud culture though who live for today rather than tomorrow, understandably considering their horrifying past.

Cambodia’s pride and joy are the Angkor Temples, built between the 9th and 13th centuries, there are 1000’s of temples scattered in the country-side. We spent 3 days touring the Angkor Temples, which are truly awe-inspiring. We visited many temples over the course of a few days but our favorites were Ta Prohm, Bayon and of course, Angkor Wat. Many of the Angkor Temples have long standing preservation projects but officials wanted to leave at least one temple in Angkor as it was, as an example of the “natural state”. They chose Ta Prohm and it is one of the most beautiful sites in Angkor. The temple contains a maze of narrow corridors and crumbling stonework, which is literally being pulled down to the ground by massive trees growing overtop and endless roots coiling around the stones. The Bayon has 216 massive faces and elaborate carvings of over 11,000 figures inside depicting life in 12th century Cambodia. Angkor Wat is simply amazing; no other words to describe it. It is the largest religious building in the world and it’s spectacular.

While seeing the Angkor Temples was an amazing experience, we are both a little “temped out” and relaxing back at our guesthouse. Next will be the floating forest and villages.