I spent five years in two Pacific islands earning a decent living and all I've got was a tour treat to mainland Asia's doorstep -- Viet Nam -- with literally 120USD on my pocket. It was the beginning of my deeper understanding of the simple lifestyles in this side of the planet. But to say easy living is an underestimation. There is a booming economy, so they say, but the images of persistent women who roam the streets from dawn to dusk selling fruits, vegetables, fresh flowers and all sorts of local crafts and commodities just to make both ends meet, prove signs of massive poverty in Vietnam.
I took a 180-degree swing to this wonderful country. I have been so fascinated with through the years. thanks to the National Geographic and war books from the West. Here's an account from a first time visitor in Viet Nam. I ate Pho (the famous rice noodles) at sidewalks in Ha Noi, rode on a Xe-Om (motorcycle) with a stranger who usually charged you when he learns you are an outsider, used body sign languages to convey a message to a local, joined Western expatriates in some of the best patronized restaurants in town, spent precious moments with high-end tourists via the top level cruise junks in Halong Bay as a welcome treat from a friend who is based in this city that hosts millions of tourists each year. I also felt the warmth of the people and the unbearable cold weather in winter. Sure enough, there are a lot of fascinating tales to tell in that vast land teeming with amazing cultures.
From Saipan to Saigon
There were few customers
yet at Jhem's, a favorite Filipino restaurant in the heart of town. At about 10am on Oct. 21, the newly-served lunch (daing na bangus and nilagang baka) was as hot as the scorching sun outside. (The weather here was always humid). This particular day was no ordinary day for this journeyman. This was the last day of my 406 days in this tiny speck of island in the South Pacific. I needed to re-charge batteries before the 3pm flight to Tokyo and later to Manila. In times like this, Jhem's was always the best place to go. It may not be the suited place but at least it gave some space to spend precious moments of never ending goodbyes with true friends as I was about to disembark from their comfort, and affection.
It came too much, too soon. However, two weeks earlier I already booked a flight to Saigon with Cebu Pacific. There was only a week to spend time with loved ones back home. They needed to boost your energy and spirit. They were always there to push you up.
Although I had been planning the Viet Nam visit as early as nine months ago, it was only during the ascent from Manila and all the way to HCM that I began to reflect on almost everything I left behind -- the vicissitudes of everyday life in the Philippines, the ever-ending desire to settle back to the paradise island of Palau where I previously stayed for three and-a-half years and the regrettable harsh environment of Saipan.
I needed time to draw a plan for the next move. So Vietnam there I went for a retreat.
yet at Jhem's, a favorite Filipino restaurant in the heart of town. At about 10am on Oct. 21, the newly-served lunch (daing na bangus and nilagang baka) was as hot as the scorching sun outside. (The weather here was always humid). This particular day was no ordinary day for this journeyman. This was the last day of my 406 days in this tiny speck of island in the South Pacific. I needed to re-charge batteries before the 3pm flight to Tokyo and later to Manila. In times like this, Jhem's was always the best place to go. It may not be the suited place but at least it gave some space to spend precious moments of never ending goodbyes with true friends as I was about to disembark from their comfort, and affection.
It came too much, too soon. However, two weeks earlier I already booked a flight to Saigon with Cebu Pacific. There was only a week to spend time with loved ones back home. They needed to boost your energy and spirit. They were always there to push you up.
Although I had been planning the Viet Nam visit as early as nine months ago, it was only during the ascent from Manila and all the way to HCM that I began to reflect on almost everything I left behind -- the vicissitudes of everyday life in the Philippines, the ever-ending desire to settle back to the paradise island of Palau where I previously stayed for three and-a-half years and the regrettable harsh environment of Saipan.
I arrived in Ho Chih Min City (Sai Gon) at dawn on Oct. 29. Three days here was too short to roam the streets of t
his bustling city of tricycles and hardworking people. Just chatting with the friendliest hotel staff in the backpackers lane at night was enough to temporarily get rid of your worries, like the throng of Caucasian tourists across the narrow street who seemed to not care of how much alcohol they have consumed for the night. After all, this is a safer ground. The painful memories of the 60's U.S. aggression seems withered away. I began to like this place.
his bustling city of tricycles and hardworking people. Just chatting with the friendliest hotel staff in the backpackers lane at night was enough to temporarily get rid of your worries, like the throng of Caucasian tourists across the narrow street who seemed to not care of how much alcohol they have consumed for the night. After all, this is a safer ground. The painful memories of the 60's U.S. aggression seems withered away. I began to like this place.
A 2-day, 2-night trip on a
sleeper bus from Saigon to Hanoi
To get to Ha Noi from Ho Chi 
Minh City ( Saigon ), a traveler has three options. One, you go by plane and pay a higher cost ($50-$100), two, take a two-day train ride at a lesser fare, or three, take a two-day, two-night bus ride. If you decide to go by bus, you have the option of boarding the ordinary bus which would cost you $28, or the sleeper bus which costs $36. If you are traveling on a tight budget, the ordinary bus would be your best option since it is the cheapest way but you have to travel it rough with just a reclining seat. I took the $36-sleeper bus because I wanted to see the countryside all the way from the southern part to the northern tip of Vietnam. If you look at the map, Viet Nam has its uniqueness. It covers entirely Laos and Cambodia from the sea. It is a doorstep from the northeast of the Pacific Rim to mainland. The trip is a feast to the eyes for an adventurer, with the blue waters and coastal scenery on the left and the high mountain peaks on the right. Our first stop was in the coastal town of Phan Thiet known as Muine, popular for its beaches, about five hours from Ho Chih Minh (HCM). Tourists walked or jogged along the narrow road which snakes its way amidst sprouting resorts, villas, hotels and vacation houses. Some Caucasian bac
kpackers, mostly those who already came from Thailand and Cambodia, preferred to stay here for a night stay before continuing their journey to Laos then to China . I learned that this is the regular route of European vacationers. It is not surprising to know that thousands of French people of all ages visit Vietnam because of the two nation’s historical leanings. My three-day stay in Saigon showed me a peek of the historical attachments that can be seen in the well preserved ancient French colonial buildings like the capitol building where Dr. Ho Chi Minh held office, business establishments and the city’s oldest five star hotel Rex Hotel, one of the country’s pride and treasure. History is also well-preserved in all the other big cities and towns you pass by on the way to the North such as Dalat, Nha Trang, , Quang Nam, Hoi An, Danang, Hue, and other places. I don’t regret taking the sleeper bus even if the “occasional reckless” driving is frustrating. At one point in the first day of the trip near Nha Trang, a police stopped our bus and issued a ticket to the driver. We reached Nha Rhang at about 7:30pm. A travel agent climbed onboard and gave some tips to the guests who preferred to stay for the night. The agent also warned us, especially the guys who may want to go out for a drink at a karaoke bar during the night to be careful of some girls who may invite us for a walk because this could be a ploy where a motorbiker would soon follow and rob us of our belongings. It happens everywhere but it pays to be careful. From a first-time traveler, here’s my two-cents worth of advice if you take the sleeper bus. Take note of the 15-minute stopover because the drivers wouldn’t mind if you have not yet boarded the bus when time is up. Before departure, the bus drivers don’t have a head count to check if everybody is on board. Three times during our trip, the driver had to return to the bus station after a fellow passenger noticed that her seatmate is missing. At about 8am, we circled the big city of Danang. The city is a beehive of construction activities as hotels, shopping malls and other buildings continue to sprout from vast tracts of arable lands. I have read of Danang about the 60’s American engagements known as Vietnam War. We didn’t stop in Danang but seeing this place is already satisfying for me. I was told that the world’s longest and highest cable car has just opened in March just in the city’s outskirts. That one should be in my list of future visits. Five minutes after we left Danang, we passed by Hai Van Tunnel, a 6.3 km tunnel which is considered the longest in South-East Asia. It was
opened in June 2009 The weather got colder as we zigzagged our way through rolling hills, rivers and valleys of rice fields At 1 p.m., we reached our last stopover which was Hue, a thriving city where most travelers take their trip to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. After two days and one night on the road, we had to take another bus to reach our final destination. Since the bus to Ha Noi was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm, I had five hours to explore the town’s simplicity and feel the warmth of the people. For the first time in my life, I felt like a total stranger. I had to use sign and body languages in order to get directions to go to an Internet Café or to a store. I roamed around for over three hours and grasped what I can of what the town has to offer but then I had to go back to the bus station to make sure I would not be left behind. Good thing that I made time allowances because the bus left at 4:45 p.m., 45 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure. After a few minutes, I had my first glimpse of Ha Noi, a bustling city which was to be my home for the next weeks.
Minh City ( Saigon ), a traveler has three options. One, you go by plane and pay a higher cost ($50-$100), two, take a two-day train ride at a lesser fare, or three, take a two-day, two-night bus ride. If you decide to go by bus, you have the option of boarding the ordinary bus which would cost you $28, or the sleeper bus which costs $36. If you are traveling on a tight budget, the ordinary bus would be your best option since it is the cheapest way but you have to travel it rough with just a reclining seat. I took the $36-sleeper bus because I wanted to see the countryside all the way from the southern part to the northern tip of Vietnam. If you look at the map, Viet Nam has its uniqueness. It covers entirely Laos and Cambodia from the sea. It is a doorstep from the northeast of the Pacific Rim to mainland. The trip is a feast to the eyes for an adventurer, with the blue waters and coastal scenery on the left and the high mountain peaks on the right. Our first stop was in the coastal town of Phan Thiet known as Muine, popular for its beaches, about five hours from Ho Chih Minh (HCM). Tourists walked or jogged along the narrow road which snakes its way amidst sprouting resorts, villas, hotels and vacation houses. Some Caucasian bac
kpackers, mostly those who already came from Thailand and Cambodia, preferred to stay here for a night stay before continuing their journey to Laos then to China . I learned that this is the regular route of European vacationers. It is not surprising to know that thousands of French people of all ages visit Vietnam because of the two nation’s historical leanings. My three-day stay in Saigon showed me a peek of the historical attachments that can be seen in the well preserved ancient French colonial buildings like the capitol building where Dr. Ho Chi Minh held office, business establishments and the city’s oldest five star hotel Rex Hotel, one of the country’s pride and treasure. History is also well-preserved in all the other big cities and towns you pass by on the way to the North such as Dalat, Nha Trang, , Quang Nam, Hoi An, Danang, Hue, and other places. I don’t regret taking the sleeper bus even if the “occasional reckless” driving is frustrating. At one point in the first day of the trip near Nha Trang, a police stopped our bus and issued a ticket to the driver. We reached Nha Rhang at about 7:30pm. A travel agent climbed onboard and gave some tips to the guests who preferred to stay for the night. The agent also warned us, especially the guys who may want to go out for a drink at a karaoke bar during the night to be careful of some girls who may invite us for a walk because this could be a ploy where a motorbiker would soon follow and rob us of our belongings. It happens everywhere but it pays to be careful. From a first-time traveler, here’s my two-cents worth of advice if you take the sleeper bus. Take note of the 15-minute stopover because the drivers wouldn’t mind if you have not yet boarded the bus when time is up. Before departure, the bus drivers don’t have a head count to check if everybody is on board. Three times during our trip, the driver had to return to the bus station after a fellow passenger noticed that her seatmate is missing. At about 8am, we circled the big city of Danang. The city is a beehive of construction activities as hotels, shopping malls and other buildings continue to sprout from vast tracts of arable lands. I have read of Danang about the 60’s American engagements known as Vietnam War. We didn’t stop in Danang but seeing this place is already satisfying for me. I was told that the world’s longest and highest cable car has just opened in March just in the city’s outskirts. That one should be in my list of future visits. Five minutes after we left Danang, we passed by Hai Van Tunnel, a 6.3 km tunnel which is considered the longest in South-East Asia. It was
opened in June 2009 The weather got colder as we zigzagged our way through rolling hills, rivers and valleys of rice fields At 1 p.m., we reached our last stopover which was Hue, a thriving city where most travelers take their trip to Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. After two days and one night on the road, we had to take another bus to reach our final destination. Since the bus to Ha Noi was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm, I had five hours to explore the town’s simplicity and feel the warmth of the people. For the first time in my life, I felt like a total stranger. I had to use sign and body languages in order to get directions to go to an Internet Café or to a store. I roamed around for over three hours and grasped what I can of what the town has to offer but then I had to go back to the bus station to make sure I would not be left behind. Good thing that I made time allowances because the bus left at 4:45 p.m., 45 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure. After a few minutes, I had my first glimpse of Ha Noi, a bustling city which was to be my home for the next weeks.Adventures in Ha Noi
Land of motorcycles and noodles
After a 12-hour bus ride from H
ue City, I finally got my first glimpse of Ha Noi. Winter has just set in, painting a bleak color on the horizon. It was quite a change from the Ho Chi Minh. Unlike Saigon’s tropical weather, I learned that Ha Noi has its four seasons – winter, spring, summer and autumn. The temperature was between 15 -20 degrees during my first week. I was told that it would be up to 7-8 degrees by the first week of January. I am the kind of traveler who prefers to learn explore my way around rather than do advanced research before traveling. I stayed near Hoan Kiem District, where you can feel enough of the day and night activities. At one end of the Hoan Kiem Lake District, you can find a wide array of locally made products. At this time, high quality jackets and sweaters are saleable to ward off the cold. Hotels also abound in this area, both for high-end vacationers and for backpackers. Life never stops in Hanoi. When most of the business establishments are beginning to close down their shops for the night, noodle vendors are also starting to put up their stalls. In about 15 minutes, you can see people sitting with a bowl of noodles in every possible corner of the narrow streets, unmindful of the smoke billowing out of the thousands of 
motorbikes passing by. Million motorbikes Crossing the streets especially the main thoroughfares of Ha Noi or Saigon or the other big cities like Hai Phong farther up north is a dangerous thing do for a first timer. You should always take extra caution. I had practiced a technique by going along with more than two people slipping their way to the other side, especially elder ones. That’s the safest way I found and it proved effective.
ue City, I finally got my first glimpse of Ha Noi. Winter has just set in, painting a bleak color on the horizon. It was quite a change from the Ho Chi Minh. Unlike Saigon’s tropical weather, I learned that Ha Noi has its four seasons – winter, spring, summer and autumn. The temperature was between 15 -20 degrees during my first week. I was told that it would be up to 7-8 degrees by the first week of January. I am the kind of traveler who prefers to learn explore my way around rather than do advanced research before traveling. I stayed near Hoan Kiem District, where you can feel enough of the day and night activities. At one end of the Hoan Kiem Lake District, you can find a wide array of locally made products. At this time, high quality jackets and sweaters are saleable to ward off the cold. Hotels also abound in this area, both for high-end vacationers and for backpackers. Life never stops in Hanoi. When most of the business establishments are beginning to close down their shops for the night, noodle vendors are also starting to put up their stalls. In about 15 minutes, you can see people sitting with a bowl of noodles in every possible corner of the narrow streets, unmindful of the smoke billowing out of the thousands of 
motorbikes passing by. Million motorbikes Crossing the streets especially the main thoroughfares of Ha Noi or Saigon or the other big cities like Hai Phong farther up north is a dangerous thing do for a first timer. You should always take extra caution. I had practiced a technique by going along with more than two people slipping their way to the other side, especially elder ones. That’s the safest way I found and it proved effective.
Fried sea-eels on fried noodles
Aside from the motorbikes, another thing that’s part of way of life in Viet Nam is the sight of rice noodles and chopstick. The mien luon xao became my favorite lately. It is a mixed fried noodles, fried sea snake, fresh mongo sprout and spices. For the daring traveler, another delicacy – the Thin Bhu Kho, is a must. I haven’t tried yet, not after a vendor told me that the delicacy is actually a farm mouse meat. Another told me it was just a beef. Language barrier proved a handic
ap since I could not communicate with the Hanoians. Many times I got lost and had a hard time finding the way back to my hotel, but I’m not yet done exploring this fascinating city. There is still so mu
ch to see and do.
ap since I could not communicate with the Hanoians. Many times I got lost and had a hard time finding the way back to my hotel, but I’m not yet done exploring this fascinating city. There is still so mu
ch to see and do.
Halong Bay cruise
A visit to Halong’s caves and floating villages
The Halong Bay area in Quan Ning Province is a bustling city dotted with hotels and host to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It is one of the premiere destinations for the country’s tourism industry.
A trip to Viet Nam would never be complete if you don’t go for a cruise on Halong Bay. Halong City is a three-day service bus ride from Ha Noi, passing through more cities and towns that give you a feel of another experience of the countryside. Our tour guide told us that most of the hundreds of hotels and restaurants are either empty or half empty because the concentration of the activity there is in the cruise.
The package will cost about $300 to $100 per person, depending on the kind of services that a cruise company can offer. I went there just at the onset of winter and the weather was still warmer unlike by mid November.
It was a two-day, one night cruise on junks around some of the most stunning places in Halong Bay. The area is teeming with thousands of limestone islets. The waters of Halong Bay is always calm, according to the cruise manager, giving guests a chance to really enjoy the cruise without getting seasick. I was with 39 other guests from 14 different countries on board the beautifully crafted French-inspired boat. This particular cruiser has 20 doubled-bed cabins on the first and second decks. The third deck is the dining area. The view from all around was amazing at the sun deck. Every time and then, Allan Tuppil checked to see me if I was enjoying the cruise. Allan is no less than the general manager of Bhaya cruises, who invited me as a special guest in this particular trip. He is a fishing buddy way back in Palau.
Like all the other junk cruisers, we headed towards the fishing villages. The service crew prepared a sumptuous international lunch buffet.
The menu was superb – seafood, vegetable salad, fresh food, cookies for the desert, chicken, beef and pork. At about 2pm, most of the guests opted to relax on the upper deck. Most of them were Europians. An American couple was on a honeymoon. There were also the twin sisters from the UK. I chatted with two German couples in their 70s.
At 3pm we were transported from the cruiser and grouped into four on the boat ride to the fishing villages. All the boats were operated by women who expertly maneuvered the boats toward the villages. We saw the floating houses, floating schools, floating stores and all that you could imagine in a community. We were told that there are about 700 families living in this particular area.
We went back to the cruiser after over an hour touring the villages. Some of the guests swam in the calm waters and some on kayaks. At 5:30pm we were invited to a cooking lesson for a local delicacy as part of the activities offered by the cruise company.
Dinner was served at 7 pm. In the distance, we could hear laughter and classical music from other cruisers. After dinner, the 1992 movie classic “Indochine” was shown for the night. It introduces you to Viet Nam’s social-cultural past. Set in colonial French Indochina the 1930s, the movie revolves around the story of a French plantation owner starring Catherine Deneuve and of her adopted Vietnamese daughter, played by Lin Dan Phan. This movie is a special presentation because some of the scenes were shot here in Halong Bay.
At 6:30 am the next day before the 7am light breakfast, most of the guests were invited to join a master of tai chi exercise at the sundeck. But the second day’s main activit
y was a visit to the Hang Sung Sot (literally means astonishing cave), one of the largest among the hundreds of caves in the area. After cave tour, we were served a hearty breakfast. The guests were then transported by bus back to Ha Noi.
There are plenty to explore in Viet Nam. In due time, I will be back in Halong Bay to cruise again after an invitation came from the generous managers of Columbus Adventure Travel, whom I met through another friend who had just found a second home away from home in Ha Noi.
Like all the other junk cruisers, we headed towards the fishing villages. The service crew prepared a sumptuous international lunch buffet.
The menu was superb – seafood, vegetable salad, fresh food, cookies for the desert, chicken, beef and pork. At about 2pm, most of the guests opted to relax on the upper deck. Most of them were Europians. An American couple was on a honeymoon. There were also the twin sisters from the UK. I chatted with two German couples in their 70s.
At 3pm we were transported from the cruiser and grouped into four on the boat ride to the fishing villages. All the boats were operated by women who expertly maneuvered the boats toward the villages. We saw the floating houses, floating schools, floating stores and all that you could imagine in a community. We were told that there are about 700 families living in this particular area.
We went back to the cruiser after over an hour touring the villages. Some of the guests swam in the calm waters and some on kayaks. At 5:30pm we were invited to a cooking lesson for a local delicacy as part of the activities offered by the cruise company.
Dinner was served at 7 pm. In the distance, we could hear laughter and classical music from other cruisers. After dinner, the 1992 movie classic “Indochine” was shown for the night. It introduces you to Viet Nam’s social-cultural past. Set in colonial French Indochina the 1930s, the movie revolves around the story of a French plantation owner starring Catherine Deneuve and of her adopted Vietnamese daughter, played by Lin Dan Phan. This movie is a special presentation because some of the scenes were shot here in Halong Bay.
At 6:30 am the next day before the 7am light breakfast, most of the guests were invited to join a master of tai chi exercise at the sundeck. But the second day’s main activit
y was a visit to the Hang Sung Sot (literally means astonishing cave), one of the largest among the hundreds of caves in the area. After cave tour, we were served a hearty breakfast. The guests were then transported by bus back to Ha Noi.
There are plenty to explore in Viet Nam. In due time, I will be back in Halong Bay to cruise again after an invitation came from the generous managers of Columbus Adventure Travel, whom I met through another friend who had just found a second home away from home in Ha Noi.
