Vietnam is believed to be among the low cost holiday destinations of the world. However with the basket of offerings available for the tourist, it is fast becoming a favourite amongst the masses and in course of time it may become a expensive proposition.Interestingly, Vietnam, as recent as 1990 kept the outside world at bay.
There is always a marked improvement of history and geography of place one visits and there is a discernible change on notion, impression and conception takes place after the experience. To be candid, I for one thought that like Korea or erstwhile Germany, Vietnam was divided in North & South Vietnam. I was under the impression that American were in the winning side in the War of Vietnam. More so I read that tourist and holiday makers have a torrid time of saving their phones and belongings and avoiding being fleeced by taxi drivers and shopkeepers in the streets of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.
It is always a challenge to visit a new place and more so if it is a foreign destination. The language, the weather, the cultural, the food habits, the currency, the time zone, the transport systems all put together, guzzle one’s mind. These challenges take a back seat if one opts to leave it to the tour operators but are rather full of anxieties if one want to experience solo travel.
Once the mind is made up to visit a destination, every available information is sought after about the place. A scrapbook, travel magazine, books, and newspaper articles about the place becomes a part of life for a couple of months. The first check to a destination is the requirement of Visa a pre requisite or on arrival. I for one always look for countries where visa is required on arrival as I find them more tourist friendly. I strongly advocate that for tourist visa should be on arrival and looking forward for the day when the International community decides accordingly.
Visa for Indians can be applied on line for one month or 3 months for Vietnamese single or multiple with tourist or business purpose. It can be applied online on arrival or through the nearest Vietnam Embassy. In case a longer stay is required extension for visa can be sought when in Vietnam. Visa through the Vietnamese Embassy do require more procedures and hence time consuming adding to more cost. Applicants can obtain Vietnam visa six months before departure by applying online for getting Vietnam visa approval letter first, receive it via e mail, then get the Vietnam visa stamped on their passports at the arrival airport. The traveler can arrive and exit on any date within the visa duration, so if one is not sure about date of arrival , just chose the date some days earlier than the intended arrival date. The original passport must have longer validity than the visa by six months and have enough space as the Vietnamese visa like the Chinese is a full page sticker. The email containing the visa approval letter has a visa on arrival application form attached, which is to filled in and submitted along with the passport at the time of arrival. Indian tourist can of apply online for visa on arrival from a number of Visa agents but interestingly the cost per person varies from USD $ 40 to USD $ 6. So do be a bit patient, surf the internet and with due diligence select the visa agent for applying for visa online While leaving for Vietnam do carry a photograph ( 4 cm by 6 cm ) and USD $ 25 per person in cash.
Cash makes me remember the Vietnam currency – Dong or VND which was utterly interesting. Was rather taken aback by the zeroes when the bill for the first meal we had in Ho Chi Minh was 650,000 VND or famously in Vietnam 600 K VND. Presently the conversion of $ 1 USD is 22700 VND and INR 1 is 349 VND. Someone rightly wrote that knowing about the Vietnamese currency is like learning a new language. The Vietnamese currency is divided into two families namely the paper family consisting of VND 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 of colors bronze, pink, dark brown and blue respectively. The polymer family consists of VND 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, 200000 and 500000 of colors light yellow, blue , purple, green, light yellow and blue. The maximum confusion in the polymer family is between 20,000 VND & 500,000 both colors are blue with the picture of Japanese covered bridge in 20,000 VND differentiating both the currency.
One has to be very careful of the currency in Vietnam or else end up paying more. So do be vigilant handling the cash and count the zeroes in the notes attentively while transacting. The conversion rate for Dong does not vary much from bank or money changers. ATMs are available in abundance. Facility of transaction through credit or debit cards is of no issue.
Vietnam is well connected by air and a number of airlines operate from different countries with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City the major port of entry for the foreigners into Vietnam. Further there are a dozen airports in Vietnam serviced by a number of extremely low cost airlines for moving from city to city notably are the Vietjet ( famous for the dressing the air hostess in bikinis as an advertising stunt) and Australian airlines Jetstar Pacific. Vietnam has come of age in modernising its airport facilities to cater to the ever increasing number of tourists both in the International and domestic sectors.We preferred to take the Air Asia flight from Kolkata to Ho Chi Minh with a layoff of a couple of Bangkok The internet provided us with different opinions of requirement of transit visa for layoff at Kaula Lumpur and Bangkok. But to set the record straight there is no requirement of transit visa at Kaula Lumpur and Bangkok for passengers in Flying Through mode by Air Asia flights.
In order to reduce the layoff and not to waste a day travelling, we had preferred to take the route via Kaula Lumpur. The airport was impressive with Air Asia aeroplanes occupying most of the tarmac. The duty free shopping malls were teeming with goods of desire but the night flight and the time difference of two and half hours with India had left us with no mood of shopping. The desire was for a cup of coffee but behold our fortune, the shop we approached would accept payments through credit card for a bill only above $ 20 USD and in case we paid through USD the refunds will be made in Malaysian RM currency It might have been a one off shop with such payment terms but we did not try to venture to a different shop and remained contented with sips of water. Lessons leant was to carry currency of countries where lay off transit is planned.
Flight from Kaula Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh City was uneventful but for making up an hour time lost as the difference between India and Vietnam was one and a half hours. A number of escalators and travelator lead us to the Visa counters. We were made to submit our passports along with the visa approval letter, application with the photograph and await our names to be called by the immigration authorities. The wait was long as the airport was packed with tourist from all over the world. Sleepy and jet lagged we kept our patience in check and was glad when our names were called. We paid $ 25 USD for each person and got back our passports dully affixed with the Vietnamese visa. Next was followed by taking our place in the long queue for immigration clearance. It took us a couple of hours to obtain our visa and clearance of immigration. The Government of Vietnam needs to re - visit the system of visa and immigration clearance for the tourist and make it more friendly and swift.
Time between the obtaining visa and queuing for immigration allowed us to obtain a pre paid mobile connection for $ 10 USD for 30 days, which took care of our local calls in Vietnam and net connectivity. The heart missed a bit when we found our bags amongst a few stacked near the baggage reclaim area. It clearly indicated that it being quite some time since the bag had arrived and by our good fortune it did not go missing. Just before the declaration gate of customs we observed a few passengers filling in forms. On enquiry we found that our Air Asia flight could not bring in the luggage for passengers joining us from Mumbai and New Delhi. We indeed felt lucky as we walked through customs as awaiting for your check in baggage at an foreign destination on holidays will bring in lot of despair and anxiety. Were further relieved when we could locate the placard with our name in the waiting hands of the hotel car driver.
Taxi service in Ho Chi Minh is adequately serviced by Vinasun, Mai Linh, SASCO and Uber. Another misconception about Vietnam is about the taxi drivers fleecing of passengers in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Tourist are forewarned in internet articles that ensure you tell the taxi driver that payment will only be made on the meter reading before commencement of the journey. We did not experience any such incident of fleecing and rather found the taxi drivers well-mannered and extremely polite.
A couple of hours rest at the hotel, reenergized, rejuvenated and recharged our bodies to explore the chaotic, buzzing, thriving modern city with French colonial grandeur and traditional Chinese mystique. Ho Chi minh original name is a mystery, but the name has undergone change a number of times notable being Sai Gon in the 1700s by the local Vietnamese, then to Saigon by the French and the most recent Ho Chi Minh came in 1976 named after leader of North Vietnam. We made our way through the thick and heavy traffic of Ho Chi Minh and it looked each of the eight million people owned a two wheeler. It was rather fascinating to watch hordes of motor cycle and scooter stop at the. traffic signal and zoom off as soon as the green light was on. All wore similar types of helmets and it seemed like every one was in tearing hurry.
A short walk brought us to the happening place, Nguyen Hue Walking street where the traffic is barred and a place where Vietnamese people from all walks of life assemble to enjoy their time along with friends and families. Good to see a happy lot in midst of the living monuments of the past decorated with colonial and French style architecture standing side by side the modern skyscrapers. The place gave us the first insight of the Vietnamese and our expectations for the days we will be spending in Vietnam. We were glad we chose Vietnam as our holiday destination.
To get a feel of a place it is best to set out on foot, so to say a walking tour. Ho Chi Minh wakes up early and it seems they make the optimum use of the early light. People begin work at 7 AM and from the hotel we could view the streets were already full with two wheelers.
We began our walking tour along the Saigon River, passing the Majestic Hotel beginning of Dong Khoi , crossing by the Opera House to reach Nguyen Hue walking street.
Ahead of us was the City Hall and as we continued on Dong Khoi and after one block we could sight the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office on the right. A walk across the park brought us to the Reunification Palace before it was time to head back to the hotel to catch the Cu Chi tunnels tour bus.
The relics of Cu Chi tunnels are being preserved at Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh, about 70 km in the North West of Ho Chi Minh. The tunnels provide a chilling peep into the Vietnam war between 1954 to 1975 where an 250000 soldiers and 31 million people died. At its peak, the tunnel system stretched from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border covering 250 KMs of tunnel, honeycombing the ground.
The network had several storeys deep which included countless trap doors, living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens. We observed many ant hills like mound along the tunnel route with vents. Guess what! They were for the circulation of air so that people inside the tunnel could breathe.
The tunnels are not for claustrophobic as it is dark, small and stuffy. We experienced it firsthand as were made to get inside a 40 M tunnel stretch. I was literally on my hands and knees with my shoulder blades touching the roof, with low oxygen, sweat dripping and hyper ventilating, the stretch of the tunnel seems endless and realized what it really means “ light at the end of the tunnel” . The maze of tunnels may have been made considering the small bodied Vietnamese required immense courage of American and South Vietnamese soldiers known as Tunnel rats who had to shimmy into the Black echo armed with pistols, flash light and fear.
The psychological warfare played by both sides is chilling and regardless which side one is fighting human were fighting a political war. Booby traps swarmed the ground during the war and the tour provided a display of horrific inventions. The Vietnamese constructed their sandals from tire rubber, designing the foot facing backwards so as to fool anyone following their foot trail. The kitchen had tunnels fudge out so cooking smoke could be released from the ground in another location so as not to give away their position. The Vietcong fought the war using guerilla tactics. The Cu Chi tunnels depicts creativity and engineering marvel, driven by desperation, a will to survive and a determination to defeat the aggressors. Cu Chi has truly become a place of pilgrimage for the Vietnamese school children.
Early next morning we travelled to the picturesque and stunning landscape of Meklong Delta. Terminus to the Mekong River which winds six countries from Tibet to Vietnam. A biological treasure trove, formed by the sediments deposits, the delta splits into a number of canals. Its fertile soil is very favorable for the aquatic rice cultural and fruit tree plantation. This incredible region produces half of Vietnamese total agriculture output and is better known as the Rice bowl of Vietnam.
A two hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh brought us to My Tho town. We were transferred to a private long tail boat and cruised the waterway towards Ben Tre province enjoying the fresh air, passing the stilt houses, the fishing floating farm and overview of the four islands Dragon Phoenix Tortoise and Unicorn.
We disembarked at the islands and took a leisurely walk along the village path, observing the life, traditions and cultural of the locals, enjoyed delicious fresh fruits, shared a cup of tea with the locals while listening to traditional southern folk music.
We rode a hand rowed sampan through the creeks under the shades of the green water coconut trees with the traditional Vietnamese hats shading us from the sharp sunlight. We were introduced to the mechanism of making rice wine, the wonder usage of every part of the coconut right from its cover to producing coconut candy by boiling cauldrons of sticky coconut before rolling it out and slicing sections into squares. Locals demonstrated the way the extremely thin rice paper were manufactured which is a cornerstone for the famous Vietnamese culinary of momos and rolls.
The secret taste of snake wine revealed as we hesitantly took small sips wondering if it would make us tipsy . Carrying a live python on our shoulders made us feel like our snake charmers of India. It was rather late in the afternoon when the tour manager announced that we proceed for lunch.
Lunch makes me recall the fondness of food by the Vietnamese. They are forever cooking, eating and talking of food. Food is communication and food is culture for the Vietnamese. Some must try Vietnamese foods are Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup), Pho Bo ( Beef noodle soup), Cuon Diep ( mustard leave rolled around vermicelli noddle sand chopped up mushroom and tofu), Bun Cha ( grilled pork and noodles with assortment of fresh herbs and dipping sauce, Cha Ca ( white fish marinated with turmeric and galangal served with dill. Banh Mi (sandwich stuffed with layers of pork luncheon meats, shredded pork skin mayonnaise topped up with Vietnamese radish)
There is a appetizer built up exercise for lunch at the Meklong Delta. Guess what may be the appetizer. It was a cooking class. All the members of the tour were made to cook a rice pancake with helping hand from the chef. A sumptuous lunch was laid for all of us with the center of attraction the elephant ear fish grilled, ready to be relished. Interestingly vegan food was served to the veggies with the same style and grandeur. A cycle tour of the village was organized for the enthusiastic while the remaining cat napped on the hammocks till it was time to travel back to Ho Chi Minh City.
In the evening as we explored the place for an Indian restaurant for dinner ( Ashoka , Ganesh Indian restaurant, Tandoor Indian restaurant were some of the many Indian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh ), we were drawn to the Bitexco Financial Towers. Located in District 1, a stone throw from the Nguyen Hue Walking street, designed by renowned American architect Carlos Zapata, the 68 storey tower houses offices, shops, restaurants and even a helipad.
Recently it has been ranked as world 20 most iconic skyscrapers and 124th tallest building in the world. The tower is also well known for its vertical run where the runners compete the race from the lobby to the sky deck on the 49th floor covering 178 M. The 360 degree from the sky deck gives an unparalleled view of the many beautiful buildings, historical monuments and museums Ho Chi Minh has acquired city during the 300 years of history and development, standing as a symbol of the resurgence of Ho Chi Minh and the globalization of Vietnam.
The flight to Hanoi the next day was uneventful and we reached on time which was a rarity as the driver of the hotel car who came to receive us confessed. Domestic flights in Vietnam are known to be notorious in change of flight timings at a drop of a hat, were we again fortunate to make it to Hanoi on time.
The city of Hanoi or Thang Long founded in 1070 AD by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong famed for its classic colonial architecture, a millennium of history, a distinctive cuisine, elegant tree lined boulevards, teeming markets, elegance tranquility of lakes. The city is more conventional than its cousin Ho Chi Minh in the south but exploring Hanoi is sure a delights it sits rife with historical monuments, colorful pagodas, impressive temples who stand out in a otherwise treasure trove of French architecture, well maintained colonial bungalows and buildings.
It was well said that there is no better way to learn about a country than eat your way through it. Hanoi gives the tourist ample opportunity as it is more or less a melting point of delicious and affordable street food. It is customary for the people to sit on small plastic stools on the footpath in front of restaurant and cafes and relax sipping coffee and tea and watching the traffic and people go by.
In Hanoi all roads lead to Hoan Kiem Lake the focal point of the city. There is a myth about a Turtle God surfacing in the lake to ask the emperor for his magic sword. There is a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake with no connecting bridge or path to the main land known as the Ramshackse Thap Rua which is topped with red star on special occasion and is often used as an emblem of Hanoi.
The red Huc Bridge leads to to the entrance of the 18th century Buddhist temple of Jade mountain,The Ngoc Son Temple. The view of the surrounds of the lake during the night is enthralling with the red Huc Bridge all lit up. Huge crowds of tourist, locals throng this iconic location, especially in the early mornings and evenings to exercise, jog and walk along the perimeter with the ladies joining in for tai chi.
Evenings in Hanoi can be well spent visiting the Hanoi Opera House designed in the lines of the Palais Garnier, Paris representing the cultural and historical landmark as it open doors for numerous performance.
Another delightful and entertaining draw is the Water Puppet show a cultural enticement originating in the sodden rice paddies of the Red rivet delta in North Vietnam depicting the culture tradition and folklore of Vietnamese.
Performance takes place on a water stage with highly skilled puppeteers hidden behind a painted bamboo screen as they manipulate the movement of the brightly colored and carved puppets. Its been centuries since the effortless movements of the puppets remain a closely guarded secret and have won them many awards and laurels all over the world.
The must visit destination during the day is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where there are huge queues to pay respects to the great man of Vietnam who lies in state. We were unfortunate as every year in November the mausoleum is closed for maintenance. We had to content to view the mausoleum with soldiers dressed immaculately standing at the corners of the building situated in the side of an imposing Ba Dinh square in the heart of Hanoi. The Ho Chi Minh House, a tradition stilt modest home to the then President Ho Chi Minh who preferred over the opulent Presidential palace located next door and the Ho Chi Minh Museum illustrating the revolutionary struggle of the man affectionately nicknamed Uncle Ho are housed side by side in an area of well tendered gardens and ponds.
Just near the Ba Dinh square is the legendary and one of the most iconic temples of Vietnam, The One Pillar Pagoda which is said to represent a Lotus flower growing out of the water was built by Emperor Ly Thai Tong between 1028 and 1054
The next stop was the Temple of Literature, established in 1076 AD, Vietnam’s first university, educating the elite ranks. The Confucian temple built on traditional Vietnamese architecture features five courtyard and a small museum. Examinations were believed to notoriously difficult and one who passed had their names engraved on the stone stelae. Today also students come here to rub the stone turtles for good grades in their examinations.
Both for the locals or the tourist, life revolves in Hanoi around the Old Quarter, a commercial hub established 1000 years ago. One can spends days and months exploring and winding through the streets of Old Quarter. The area is often referred to as the 36 streets, but in reality there are more than 50. Entire streets dedicated to single item. Each street are aptly named “Hang” (merchandise) followed by the product they sell. With its old styled narrow streets full of antique brick houses, the place gives an ample opportunity to the tourists to grasp the culture of the bygone days of Hanoi.
The place I was looking forward to visit and rather a destination which ultimately decided my travelling to Vietnam was Ha Long Bay, situated in the Gulf of Tonkin The emerald waters covering an area of 1555 Sq Km comprising of a number of stone islands, with shapes changes depending on the origin of the light forming a spectacular seascape. The average geological age is 250 to 280 million years. Its sparkling beauty leaves visitor spell bound and entices one and all. Poet Nguyen Trai coined the words for this spectacular natural wonder of the world “ Marvel on earth erected towards the sky ”
A four hour drive from Hanoi brought us to Hon Gai harbor pier, where we were transferred to the ship by a tender. A sumptuous lunch was served as we cruised through Bai Tu Long Bay a less touristic area than Ha Long Bay. The Bay has a rich biodiversity with two eco systems a tropical, moist evergreen rain forest eco system and a marine coastal ecosystem. It was a fascinating as the ship cruised over the still water of the bay passing stone islands of different shapes and sizes. A God gifted place which is seen to be believed.
We explored the Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boats while some of the guests went kayaking. It gave us an insight into the lives of the fishing community, mesmerizing sights and culturing of pearls. An hour boating was followed by visit to the Ban Chan beach for a swim in the bay before embarking on the ship. Dinner was preceded by a class on traditional Vietnamese cuisines by the ship chef as it cruised to Cong Dong Cong Do area to anchor for the night. Dinner was equally lavish and as guests called it a day, some went quid fishing.
We were woken early for a round of Tai Chi exercise on the ship deck and the workout aided us to do justice to the well spread out breakfast table.
The tender once again transported us to the Thien Canh Son Cave in Bai Tu Long Bay in the center of Cong Do Island. We negotiated a steep hillock till we reached a small opening of the cave. Once inside the cave we were treated to a remarkable ethereal wonderland paradise, the ceiling of the caves seems to be covered with streaks of gemstones and thousands of sparkling icicles appeared like hanging spotlights. The whole scene created a fantasy of resemblance to various objects offering a wild and enigmatic beauty.
We were brought back to the ship and as it cruised towards the shore, we enjoyed the last scenes of Ha Long Bay over lunch which was another Vietnamese culinary delight. The remarkable place will always remain at the top of recall for the trip to Vietnam.
I for one do not agree that the internal flights in Vietnam is notorious for its delay. The flight to Hanoi the next day was on time. We called the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City as we were boarding the flight in Hanoi to arrange for our airport pick up. All was well for the first one and half hours of travel, but as we made our descend the pilot was making an announcement in Vietnamese. Could not make out where we had landed. We googled our position only to find that we were in Nha Trang a coastal resort known for its beaches , diving sites and offshore islands. The reason for the unscheduled landing was because of a storm and heavy rain in Ho Chi Minh city. Vietnam’s long coastline makes it prone to destructive storms and flooding. The most recent one Typhoon Damrey, which made landfall just a couple of weeks back ripping apart especially the holiday hotspot of Vietnam, Hoi Ann and Danang. But the brunt of the typhoon was bored by Nha Trang where military tanks were mobilized to help with rescue efforts. The tenacity and determination of the Vietnamese was once again demonstrated where against all odds the scheduled Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit at Danag went off without a hitch with the American, Chinese and Russian leaders along with other regional leaders gracing the occasion.
The look in the face of the waiting driver at Ho Chi Minh City looked as if he has seen a ghost when we landed three hours beyond schedule. On enquiry we were told that the hotel management was at wits end as there was no news about us and thought we were lost in the storm in the city. In fact they even made a call to India enquiring about our where about, causing anxiety among our family and friends. The airport was chocked with people as planes were landing simultaneously and the hotel car was a welcome sign as getting a taxi at such a time seemed like a nightmare.
The visit to Vietnam is never complete without a visit to War Remanant Museum situated in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Once known as the Museum of American war crimes which was opened to public in 1975, is a reminder of long and brutal infamous Vietnam War from 1955-75. The museum is not for the faint hearted as it houses harrowing display of controversial images detailing the brutality of the Vietnam war
The outdoor displays the fighter jets, tanks, helicopters planes artillery pieces and infantry weapons. One can also view the torture cells for women called Oven, because of its size, ladies would take turns in standing near the door to get fresh air. A guillotine machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves used for execution was on display along the tiger cells built in different sizes where two or three prisoners lie on sandy souls or stoop down which was quite a disturbing sight.
The first floor exhibits the international support for the Vietnamese people in their resistance war.
The second floor exhibits the aftermath of the war on the aggression of war crimes through photographs and documentaries. Most of the space stands out for Agent Orange a herbicide and defoliant used by United States Military during the war. It reflects the effects on both the environment and humans.
The third floor Requiem is the strongest aspect of the museum. The photography exhibition shows the works of International correspondents and war photographers who died in action. The project curated by Tim Page and Horst Fass who were injured in Vietnam. The original exhibition had thousands of photograph taken by 133 photographers, commemorating all press photographers who died in the war regardless of nationality or political viewpoint. Some of the photographs are photographers last moments before they were killed.
The images and exhibits left on us a lasting impression on the consequences of wars and aggression and awakes our conscience not to make the same mistakes again and actively contribute to the efforts of peace keeping. With rather subdued mind we made our way to Ben Thanh market, one of Ho Chi Minh City oldest landmarks with an array of more than 3000 vendor stalls built in 1870, known as Les Halles Centrales before being renamed as Ben Thanh Market in 1912. From a wet market created by street vendors by the early 17th century, Ben Thanh is the oldest surviving market and symbolizes the culture and heritage of the 300 years old city of Ho Chi Minh. Clothes and fabric in front give way to kitchenware and souvenirs, leading one to food, arts and ceramics laid in an organized grid. However the sellers are particularly persistent and it needs hard bargaining. When night falls restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street scene filling the air with scents of wok fried noodles, barbecued fish and meat, a true experience of hawker style authentically Vietnamese cuisine.
As we explored the market, picking up souvenirs mostly related to Vietnamese art and craft namely silk scarfs and hand bags, lacquer painting, comical hats related to maternal love and history of rice growing, handmade paper and fabric book marks, Vietnamese mask with images drawn from the country’s famous folkloric characters and lacquer painted water puppets before it was time to have lunch and head for the airport to travel back home.
A surge of feelings come when a holiday comes to an end. We come with perceptions and challenges to face visiting a new country but as we culminate our visit melancholy prevails over us. It was sad to leave this wonderful country tugged on the South China Sea, a strategically located country, where most of the POUS of modern times have set their foot. A country which have risen from the ravage of a bitter war, a country full of hard working and determined people, a country packed with intelligent people, a country chockfull of loveable and fashionable people, a country full of charming people who love to smile and are genuinely interested in foreign visitors and lastly what enthralled me the most was their big heart for forgiveness of the bitter war. There will always be two sides of war but as what the Vietnamese say “ It is now a long time, Let’s move on “ indeed a place to be found in one’s bucket list.
There is always a marked improvement of history and geography of place one visits and there is a discernible change on notion, impression and conception takes place after the experience. To be candid, I for one thought that like Korea or erstwhile Germany, Vietnam was divided in North & South Vietnam. I was under the impression that American were in the winning side in the War of Vietnam. More so I read that tourist and holiday makers have a torrid time of saving their phones and belongings and avoiding being fleeced by taxi drivers and shopkeepers in the streets of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.
It is always a challenge to visit a new place and more so if it is a foreign destination. The language, the weather, the cultural, the food habits, the currency, the time zone, the transport systems all put together, guzzle one’s mind. These challenges take a back seat if one opts to leave it to the tour operators but are rather full of anxieties if one want to experience solo travel.
Once the mind is made up to visit a destination, every available information is sought after about the place. A scrapbook, travel magazine, books, and newspaper articles about the place becomes a part of life for a couple of months. The first check to a destination is the requirement of Visa a pre requisite or on arrival. I for one always look for countries where visa is required on arrival as I find them more tourist friendly. I strongly advocate that for tourist visa should be on arrival and looking forward for the day when the International community decides accordingly.
Visa for Indians can be applied on line for one month or 3 months for Vietnamese single or multiple with tourist or business purpose. It can be applied online on arrival or through the nearest Vietnam Embassy. In case a longer stay is required extension for visa can be sought when in Vietnam. Visa through the Vietnamese Embassy do require more procedures and hence time consuming adding to more cost. Applicants can obtain Vietnam visa six months before departure by applying online for getting Vietnam visa approval letter first, receive it via e mail, then get the Vietnam visa stamped on their passports at the arrival airport. The traveler can arrive and exit on any date within the visa duration, so if one is not sure about date of arrival , just chose the date some days earlier than the intended arrival date. The original passport must have longer validity than the visa by six months and have enough space as the Vietnamese visa like the Chinese is a full page sticker. The email containing the visa approval letter has a visa on arrival application form attached, which is to filled in and submitted along with the passport at the time of arrival. Indian tourist can of apply online for visa on arrival from a number of Visa agents but interestingly the cost per person varies from USD $ 40 to USD $ 6. So do be a bit patient, surf the internet and with due diligence select the visa agent for applying for visa online While leaving for Vietnam do carry a photograph ( 4 cm by 6 cm ) and USD $ 25 per person in cash.
Cash makes me remember the Vietnam currency – Dong or VND which was utterly interesting. Was rather taken aback by the zeroes when the bill for the first meal we had in Ho Chi Minh was 650,000 VND or famously in Vietnam 600 K VND. Presently the conversion of $ 1 USD is 22700 VND and INR 1 is 349 VND. Someone rightly wrote that knowing about the Vietnamese currency is like learning a new language. The Vietnamese currency is divided into two families namely the paper family consisting of VND 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 of colors bronze, pink, dark brown and blue respectively. The polymer family consists of VND 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, 200000 and 500000 of colors light yellow, blue , purple, green, light yellow and blue. The maximum confusion in the polymer family is between 20,000 VND & 500,000 both colors are blue with the picture of Japanese covered bridge in 20,000 VND differentiating both the currency.
One has to be very careful of the currency in Vietnam or else end up paying more. So do be vigilant handling the cash and count the zeroes in the notes attentively while transacting. The conversion rate for Dong does not vary much from bank or money changers. ATMs are available in abundance. Facility of transaction through credit or debit cards is of no issue.
Vietnam is well connected by air and a number of airlines operate from different countries with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City the major port of entry for the foreigners into Vietnam. Further there are a dozen airports in Vietnam serviced by a number of extremely low cost airlines for moving from city to city notably are the Vietjet ( famous for the dressing the air hostess in bikinis as an advertising stunt) and Australian airlines Jetstar Pacific. Vietnam has come of age in modernising its airport facilities to cater to the ever increasing number of tourists both in the International and domestic sectors.We preferred to take the Air Asia flight from Kolkata to Ho Chi Minh with a layoff of a couple of Bangkok The internet provided us with different opinions of requirement of transit visa for layoff at Kaula Lumpur and Bangkok. But to set the record straight there is no requirement of transit visa at Kaula Lumpur and Bangkok for passengers in Flying Through mode by Air Asia flights.
In order to reduce the layoff and not to waste a day travelling, we had preferred to take the route via Kaula Lumpur. The airport was impressive with Air Asia aeroplanes occupying most of the tarmac. The duty free shopping malls were teeming with goods of desire but the night flight and the time difference of two and half hours with India had left us with no mood of shopping. The desire was for a cup of coffee but behold our fortune, the shop we approached would accept payments through credit card for a bill only above $ 20 USD and in case we paid through USD the refunds will be made in Malaysian RM currency It might have been a one off shop with such payment terms but we did not try to venture to a different shop and remained contented with sips of water. Lessons leant was to carry currency of countries where lay off transit is planned.
Flight from Kaula Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh City was uneventful but for making up an hour time lost as the difference between India and Vietnam was one and a half hours. A number of escalators and travelator lead us to the Visa counters. We were made to submit our passports along with the visa approval letter, application with the photograph and await our names to be called by the immigration authorities. The wait was long as the airport was packed with tourist from all over the world. Sleepy and jet lagged we kept our patience in check and was glad when our names were called. We paid $ 25 USD for each person and got back our passports dully affixed with the Vietnamese visa. Next was followed by taking our place in the long queue for immigration clearance. It took us a couple of hours to obtain our visa and clearance of immigration. The Government of Vietnam needs to re - visit the system of visa and immigration clearance for the tourist and make it more friendly and swift.
Time between the obtaining visa and queuing for immigration allowed us to obtain a pre paid mobile connection for $ 10 USD for 30 days, which took care of our local calls in Vietnam and net connectivity. The heart missed a bit when we found our bags amongst a few stacked near the baggage reclaim area. It clearly indicated that it being quite some time since the bag had arrived and by our good fortune it did not go missing. Just before the declaration gate of customs we observed a few passengers filling in forms. On enquiry we found that our Air Asia flight could not bring in the luggage for passengers joining us from Mumbai and New Delhi. We indeed felt lucky as we walked through customs as awaiting for your check in baggage at an foreign destination on holidays will bring in lot of despair and anxiety. Were further relieved when we could locate the placard with our name in the waiting hands of the hotel car driver.
Taxi service in Ho Chi Minh is adequately serviced by Vinasun, Mai Linh, SASCO and Uber. Another misconception about Vietnam is about the taxi drivers fleecing of passengers in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Tourist are forewarned in internet articles that ensure you tell the taxi driver that payment will only be made on the meter reading before commencement of the journey. We did not experience any such incident of fleecing and rather found the taxi drivers well-mannered and extremely polite.
A couple of hours rest at the hotel, reenergized, rejuvenated and recharged our bodies to explore the chaotic, buzzing, thriving modern city with French colonial grandeur and traditional Chinese mystique. Ho Chi minh original name is a mystery, but the name has undergone change a number of times notable being Sai Gon in the 1700s by the local Vietnamese, then to Saigon by the French and the most recent Ho Chi Minh came in 1976 named after leader of North Vietnam. We made our way through the thick and heavy traffic of Ho Chi Minh and it looked each of the eight million people owned a two wheeler. It was rather fascinating to watch hordes of motor cycle and scooter stop at the. traffic signal and zoom off as soon as the green light was on. All wore similar types of helmets and it seemed like every one was in tearing hurry.
A short walk brought us to the happening place, Nguyen Hue Walking street where the traffic is barred and a place where Vietnamese people from all walks of life assemble to enjoy their time along with friends and families. Good to see a happy lot in midst of the living monuments of the past decorated with colonial and French style architecture standing side by side the modern skyscrapers. The place gave us the first insight of the Vietnamese and our expectations for the days we will be spending in Vietnam. We were glad we chose Vietnam as our holiday destination.
To get a feel of a place it is best to set out on foot, so to say a walking tour. Ho Chi Minh wakes up early and it seems they make the optimum use of the early light. People begin work at 7 AM and from the hotel we could view the streets were already full with two wheelers.
We began our walking tour along the Saigon River, passing the Majestic Hotel beginning of Dong Khoi , crossing by the Opera House to reach Nguyen Hue walking street.
Ahead of us was the City Hall and as we continued on Dong Khoi and after one block we could sight the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office on the right. A walk across the park brought us to the Reunification Palace before it was time to head back to the hotel to catch the Cu Chi tunnels tour bus.
The relics of Cu Chi tunnels are being preserved at Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh, about 70 km in the North West of Ho Chi Minh. The tunnels provide a chilling peep into the Vietnam war between 1954 to 1975 where an 250000 soldiers and 31 million people died. At its peak, the tunnel system stretched from the South Vietnamese capital to the Cambodian border covering 250 KMs of tunnel, honeycombing the ground.
The network had several storeys deep which included countless trap doors, living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens. We observed many ant hills like mound along the tunnel route with vents. Guess what! They were for the circulation of air so that people inside the tunnel could breathe.
The tunnels are not for claustrophobic as it is dark, small and stuffy. We experienced it firsthand as were made to get inside a 40 M tunnel stretch. I was literally on my hands and knees with my shoulder blades touching the roof, with low oxygen, sweat dripping and hyper ventilating, the stretch of the tunnel seems endless and realized what it really means “ light at the end of the tunnel” . The maze of tunnels may have been made considering the small bodied Vietnamese required immense courage of American and South Vietnamese soldiers known as Tunnel rats who had to shimmy into the Black echo armed with pistols, flash light and fear.
The psychological warfare played by both sides is chilling and regardless which side one is fighting human were fighting a political war. Booby traps swarmed the ground during the war and the tour provided a display of horrific inventions. The Vietnamese constructed their sandals from tire rubber, designing the foot facing backwards so as to fool anyone following their foot trail. The kitchen had tunnels fudge out so cooking smoke could be released from the ground in another location so as not to give away their position. The Vietcong fought the war using guerilla tactics. The Cu Chi tunnels depicts creativity and engineering marvel, driven by desperation, a will to survive and a determination to defeat the aggressors. Cu Chi has truly become a place of pilgrimage for the Vietnamese school children.
Early next morning we travelled to the picturesque and stunning landscape of Meklong Delta. Terminus to the Mekong River which winds six countries from Tibet to Vietnam. A biological treasure trove, formed by the sediments deposits, the delta splits into a number of canals. Its fertile soil is very favorable for the aquatic rice cultural and fruit tree plantation. This incredible region produces half of Vietnamese total agriculture output and is better known as the Rice bowl of Vietnam.
A two hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh brought us to My Tho town. We were transferred to a private long tail boat and cruised the waterway towards Ben Tre province enjoying the fresh air, passing the stilt houses, the fishing floating farm and overview of the four islands Dragon Phoenix Tortoise and Unicorn.
We disembarked at the islands and took a leisurely walk along the village path, observing the life, traditions and cultural of the locals, enjoyed delicious fresh fruits, shared a cup of tea with the locals while listening to traditional southern folk music.
We rode a hand rowed sampan through the creeks under the shades of the green water coconut trees with the traditional Vietnamese hats shading us from the sharp sunlight. We were introduced to the mechanism of making rice wine, the wonder usage of every part of the coconut right from its cover to producing coconut candy by boiling cauldrons of sticky coconut before rolling it out and slicing sections into squares. Locals demonstrated the way the extremely thin rice paper were manufactured which is a cornerstone for the famous Vietnamese culinary of momos and rolls.
The secret taste of snake wine revealed as we hesitantly took small sips wondering if it would make us tipsy . Carrying a live python on our shoulders made us feel like our snake charmers of India. It was rather late in the afternoon when the tour manager announced that we proceed for lunch.
Lunch makes me recall the fondness of food by the Vietnamese. They are forever cooking, eating and talking of food. Food is communication and food is culture for the Vietnamese. Some must try Vietnamese foods are Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup), Pho Bo ( Beef noodle soup), Cuon Diep ( mustard leave rolled around vermicelli noddle sand chopped up mushroom and tofu), Bun Cha ( grilled pork and noodles with assortment of fresh herbs and dipping sauce, Cha Ca ( white fish marinated with turmeric and galangal served with dill. Banh Mi (sandwich stuffed with layers of pork luncheon meats, shredded pork skin mayonnaise topped up with Vietnamese radish)
There is a appetizer built up exercise for lunch at the Meklong Delta. Guess what may be the appetizer. It was a cooking class. All the members of the tour were made to cook a rice pancake with helping hand from the chef. A sumptuous lunch was laid for all of us with the center of attraction the elephant ear fish grilled, ready to be relished. Interestingly vegan food was served to the veggies with the same style and grandeur. A cycle tour of the village was organized for the enthusiastic while the remaining cat napped on the hammocks till it was time to travel back to Ho Chi Minh City.
In the evening as we explored the place for an Indian restaurant for dinner ( Ashoka , Ganesh Indian restaurant, Tandoor Indian restaurant were some of the many Indian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh ), we were drawn to the Bitexco Financial Towers. Located in District 1, a stone throw from the Nguyen Hue Walking street, designed by renowned American architect Carlos Zapata, the 68 storey tower houses offices, shops, restaurants and even a helipad.
Recently it has been ranked as world 20 most iconic skyscrapers and 124th tallest building in the world. The tower is also well known for its vertical run where the runners compete the race from the lobby to the sky deck on the 49th floor covering 178 M. The 360 degree from the sky deck gives an unparalleled view of the many beautiful buildings, historical monuments and museums Ho Chi Minh has acquired city during the 300 years of history and development, standing as a symbol of the resurgence of Ho Chi Minh and the globalization of Vietnam.
The flight to Hanoi the next day was uneventful and we reached on time which was a rarity as the driver of the hotel car who came to receive us confessed. Domestic flights in Vietnam are known to be notorious in change of flight timings at a drop of a hat, were we again fortunate to make it to Hanoi on time.
The city of Hanoi or Thang Long founded in 1070 AD by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong famed for its classic colonial architecture, a millennium of history, a distinctive cuisine, elegant tree lined boulevards, teeming markets, elegance tranquility of lakes. The city is more conventional than its cousin Ho Chi Minh in the south but exploring Hanoi is sure a delights it sits rife with historical monuments, colorful pagodas, impressive temples who stand out in a otherwise treasure trove of French architecture, well maintained colonial bungalows and buildings.
It was well said that there is no better way to learn about a country than eat your way through it. Hanoi gives the tourist ample opportunity as it is more or less a melting point of delicious and affordable street food. It is customary for the people to sit on small plastic stools on the footpath in front of restaurant and cafes and relax sipping coffee and tea and watching the traffic and people go by.
In Hanoi all roads lead to Hoan Kiem Lake the focal point of the city. There is a myth about a Turtle God surfacing in the lake to ask the emperor for his magic sword. There is a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake with no connecting bridge or path to the main land known as the Ramshackse Thap Rua which is topped with red star on special occasion and is often used as an emblem of Hanoi.
The red Huc Bridge leads to to the entrance of the 18th century Buddhist temple of Jade mountain,The Ngoc Son Temple. The view of the surrounds of the lake during the night is enthralling with the red Huc Bridge all lit up. Huge crowds of tourist, locals throng this iconic location, especially in the early mornings and evenings to exercise, jog and walk along the perimeter with the ladies joining in for tai chi.
Evenings in Hanoi can be well spent visiting the Hanoi Opera House designed in the lines of the Palais Garnier, Paris representing the cultural and historical landmark as it open doors for numerous performance.
Another delightful and entertaining draw is the Water Puppet show a cultural enticement originating in the sodden rice paddies of the Red rivet delta in North Vietnam depicting the culture tradition and folklore of Vietnamese.
Performance takes place on a water stage with highly skilled puppeteers hidden behind a painted bamboo screen as they manipulate the movement of the brightly colored and carved puppets. Its been centuries since the effortless movements of the puppets remain a closely guarded secret and have won them many awards and laurels all over the world.
The must visit destination during the day is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where there are huge queues to pay respects to the great man of Vietnam who lies in state. We were unfortunate as every year in November the mausoleum is closed for maintenance. We had to content to view the mausoleum with soldiers dressed immaculately standing at the corners of the building situated in the side of an imposing Ba Dinh square in the heart of Hanoi. The Ho Chi Minh House, a tradition stilt modest home to the then President Ho Chi Minh who preferred over the opulent Presidential palace located next door and the Ho Chi Minh Museum illustrating the revolutionary struggle of the man affectionately nicknamed Uncle Ho are housed side by side in an area of well tendered gardens and ponds.
Just near the Ba Dinh square is the legendary and one of the most iconic temples of Vietnam, The One Pillar Pagoda which is said to represent a Lotus flower growing out of the water was built by Emperor Ly Thai Tong between 1028 and 1054
The next stop was the Temple of Literature, established in 1076 AD, Vietnam’s first university, educating the elite ranks. The Confucian temple built on traditional Vietnamese architecture features five courtyard and a small museum. Examinations were believed to notoriously difficult and one who passed had their names engraved on the stone stelae. Today also students come here to rub the stone turtles for good grades in their examinations.
Both for the locals or the tourist, life revolves in Hanoi around the Old Quarter, a commercial hub established 1000 years ago. One can spends days and months exploring and winding through the streets of Old Quarter. The area is often referred to as the 36 streets, but in reality there are more than 50. Entire streets dedicated to single item. Each street are aptly named “Hang” (merchandise) followed by the product they sell. With its old styled narrow streets full of antique brick houses, the place gives an ample opportunity to the tourists to grasp the culture of the bygone days of Hanoi.
The place I was looking forward to visit and rather a destination which ultimately decided my travelling to Vietnam was Ha Long Bay, situated in the Gulf of Tonkin The emerald waters covering an area of 1555 Sq Km comprising of a number of stone islands, with shapes changes depending on the origin of the light forming a spectacular seascape. The average geological age is 250 to 280 million years. Its sparkling beauty leaves visitor spell bound and entices one and all. Poet Nguyen Trai coined the words for this spectacular natural wonder of the world “ Marvel on earth erected towards the sky ”
A four hour drive from Hanoi brought us to Hon Gai harbor pier, where we were transferred to the ship by a tender. A sumptuous lunch was served as we cruised through Bai Tu Long Bay a less touristic area than Ha Long Bay. The Bay has a rich biodiversity with two eco systems a tropical, moist evergreen rain forest eco system and a marine coastal ecosystem. It was a fascinating as the ship cruised over the still water of the bay passing stone islands of different shapes and sizes. A God gifted place which is seen to be believed.
We explored the Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boats while some of the guests went kayaking. It gave us an insight into the lives of the fishing community, mesmerizing sights and culturing of pearls. An hour boating was followed by visit to the Ban Chan beach for a swim in the bay before embarking on the ship. Dinner was preceded by a class on traditional Vietnamese cuisines by the ship chef as it cruised to Cong Dong Cong Do area to anchor for the night. Dinner was equally lavish and as guests called it a day, some went quid fishing.
We were woken early for a round of Tai Chi exercise on the ship deck and the workout aided us to do justice to the well spread out breakfast table.
The tender once again transported us to the Thien Canh Son Cave in Bai Tu Long Bay in the center of Cong Do Island. We negotiated a steep hillock till we reached a small opening of the cave. Once inside the cave we were treated to a remarkable ethereal wonderland paradise, the ceiling of the caves seems to be covered with streaks of gemstones and thousands of sparkling icicles appeared like hanging spotlights. The whole scene created a fantasy of resemblance to various objects offering a wild and enigmatic beauty.
We were brought back to the ship and as it cruised towards the shore, we enjoyed the last scenes of Ha Long Bay over lunch which was another Vietnamese culinary delight. The remarkable place will always remain at the top of recall for the trip to Vietnam.
I for one do not agree that the internal flights in Vietnam is notorious for its delay. The flight to Hanoi the next day was on time. We called the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City as we were boarding the flight in Hanoi to arrange for our airport pick up. All was well for the first one and half hours of travel, but as we made our descend the pilot was making an announcement in Vietnamese. Could not make out where we had landed. We googled our position only to find that we were in Nha Trang a coastal resort known for its beaches , diving sites and offshore islands. The reason for the unscheduled landing was because of a storm and heavy rain in Ho Chi Minh city. Vietnam’s long coastline makes it prone to destructive storms and flooding. The most recent one Typhoon Damrey, which made landfall just a couple of weeks back ripping apart especially the holiday hotspot of Vietnam, Hoi Ann and Danang. But the brunt of the typhoon was bored by Nha Trang where military tanks were mobilized to help with rescue efforts. The tenacity and determination of the Vietnamese was once again demonstrated where against all odds the scheduled Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit at Danag went off without a hitch with the American, Chinese and Russian leaders along with other regional leaders gracing the occasion.
The look in the face of the waiting driver at Ho Chi Minh City looked as if he has seen a ghost when we landed three hours beyond schedule. On enquiry we were told that the hotel management was at wits end as there was no news about us and thought we were lost in the storm in the city. In fact they even made a call to India enquiring about our where about, causing anxiety among our family and friends. The airport was chocked with people as planes were landing simultaneously and the hotel car was a welcome sign as getting a taxi at such a time seemed like a nightmare.
The visit to Vietnam is never complete without a visit to War Remanant Museum situated in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Once known as the Museum of American war crimes which was opened to public in 1975, is a reminder of long and brutal infamous Vietnam War from 1955-75. The museum is not for the faint hearted as it houses harrowing display of controversial images detailing the brutality of the Vietnam war
The outdoor displays the fighter jets, tanks, helicopters planes artillery pieces and infantry weapons. One can also view the torture cells for women called Oven, because of its size, ladies would take turns in standing near the door to get fresh air. A guillotine machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves used for execution was on display along the tiger cells built in different sizes where two or three prisoners lie on sandy souls or stoop down which was quite a disturbing sight.
The first floor exhibits the international support for the Vietnamese people in their resistance war.
The second floor exhibits the aftermath of the war on the aggression of war crimes through photographs and documentaries. Most of the space stands out for Agent Orange a herbicide and defoliant used by United States Military during the war. It reflects the effects on both the environment and humans.
The third floor Requiem is the strongest aspect of the museum. The photography exhibition shows the works of International correspondents and war photographers who died in action. The project curated by Tim Page and Horst Fass who were injured in Vietnam. The original exhibition had thousands of photograph taken by 133 photographers, commemorating all press photographers who died in the war regardless of nationality or political viewpoint. Some of the photographs are photographers last moments before they were killed.
The images and exhibits left on us a lasting impression on the consequences of wars and aggression and awakes our conscience not to make the same mistakes again and actively contribute to the efforts of peace keeping. With rather subdued mind we made our way to Ben Thanh market, one of Ho Chi Minh City oldest landmarks with an array of more than 3000 vendor stalls built in 1870, known as Les Halles Centrales before being renamed as Ben Thanh Market in 1912. From a wet market created by street vendors by the early 17th century, Ben Thanh is the oldest surviving market and symbolizes the culture and heritage of the 300 years old city of Ho Chi Minh. Clothes and fabric in front give way to kitchenware and souvenirs, leading one to food, arts and ceramics laid in an organized grid. However the sellers are particularly persistent and it needs hard bargaining. When night falls restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street scene filling the air with scents of wok fried noodles, barbecued fish and meat, a true experience of hawker style authentically Vietnamese cuisine.
