Hanoi Trip day 4: Halong bay

After a night of refreshing sleep on V'spirit, we woke up to the water of Halong Bay glittering under the morning sun outside of our cabin window. As we went to the dinning room, most guests were already digging into breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bacon, toast, cakes and fruits. The tai chi class in the early morning has got the appetite worked up for a lot of them. 

We also got our share of exercise in the form of kayaking at Luon Cave. Through a tunnel-like entrance of the cave, we entered an area enclosed by limestone formations covered by trees. The scenery was lovely and we even spotted a group of monkeys climbing up and down the rocks. For those who did not wish to flex their muscles, they were given the option to sit back on a boat while someone rowed them around the area. It was a lovely spot for kayaking and I wished we got more than the allocated 45 minutes there.

Next on the itinerary was a "cooking class", which did not actually involve any cooking. After a brief demonstration by a member of the ship crew, each of us made our very own Vietnamese spring rolls by rolling up the various ingredients with the rice paper. They were the perfect morning tea after our morning exercise

The rest of the morning was spent peacefully on the sun deck enjoying the beautiful Halong Bay and the glorious weather.

Passing by fishing village and the famous "Kissing rock"

After a simple lunch, the V'spirit brought us back to the ferry terminal, from where we began another long bus journey of 4 hours back to Hanoi. Our hotel was the second last stop and we could not be happier to get out of the bus.

There was so much in Hanoi left to see and to eat for only one more evening so we decided to try as many different stalls as possible rather than settling for one restaurant.

We stumbled on a street kitchen serving "Bánh cuốn", a type of steamed rolls made of rice with a filling of minced pork and mushrooms served with pork sausage, pork floss, dried garlic and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. 

We have passed by Noodle and Roll many times and we were happy that we finally went in for a quick bite. The dry noodles were covered with ingredients such as crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, crispy lettuce, lightly seasoned pork and herbs such as cilantro, mint and basil. All the ingredients were mixed with a delicate sauce of lime, fish sauce, sugar and chilli to give an explosion of flavours.

The night market was set up along Hang Dao and Hang Ngang every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. Apart from the typical souvenirs, watches, accessories and clothes, we did not find many vendors that interested us, apart from one selling chicken and beef skewers.

We could not help but end our night with one last bowl of pho. And it did not disappoint.

 

Hanoi Trip Day 3: Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site and is often considered a side trip not to be missed from Hanoi. We have joined a cruise called V'spirit, which picked us up from our hotel at about 8:30 am. 

Even though our destination is only 170 km away, it took a 4-hour bumpy bus ride to get there, including a few more pick-up at other hotels and a 30-minute break at a souvenir shop. At the terminal we met our guide for the next two days, who was a Vietnamese guy who could speak English quite well. 

From the pier we boarded a small boat that took us to our cruiser, which was not that big but comfortable enough. We stayed at the lower deck while the 3-bed cabins and the dining room was on the upper deck. A uncovered sundeck was on the top level with long tanning chairs. Equipped with air-conditioning and private bathroom, our cabin had windows that opened up to a view of the Halong Bay, which was exceptionally beautiful under the morning sun.

It was wise for us to leave our suitcase at the hotel in Hanoi as we would not have space here to even open it up in our room!

There were several fishing villages in Halong Bay and small fishing boats were seen from time to time.

After leaving our bags in the cabin, it was time for our first meal on V'Spirit. The Vietnamese-style lunch was just average but the scenery outside made up for the simple meal!
Our first excursion among these limestones islands took us to the Sung Sot Cave. Stalactites of the most unusual shapes and sizes were suspended from the high ceiling. Lit up with spots lights of different colours, it was quite a spectacle. 

One end of the cave opened up to a cliff, which offered another amazing view of Halong Bay.

The next stop was a small island called Soi Sim. A short hiking trail took us to the highest point of the island in about 15 minutes. The trail was quite narrow and steep and the opening on the hilltop was so small it would not hold more than half a dozen people. The view, obscured by overgrown tree branches, was not much to see. The sunset was better enjoyed on the small beach. 

Just before it got dark we returned to V'Spirit for a nice hot shower before dinner was served, which included a dish of prawn cooked in front of us and a few other seafood.
After dinner there were the options of squid fishing (which we attempted for about 20 minutes, during which we caught nothing but two Vietnamese ladies who tried to sell us water and snacks on their fishing boats) and a game with other guests in the dining room. We stayed on the upper deck before the sea breeze got too strong and returned to our cabin for an early night.

 A little cooking demonstration by the crew member (above) and quiet time in Halong Bay (below)

Hanoi Trip Day 2

September was the end of the rainy season of Hanoi and we were reminded of this by the weather on our second day of the trip. The rain had no sign of stopping since the morning and we were trapped under the umbrella for the entire day. 
After breakfast at the hotel, we went for a stroll around the Old Quarter, which gave us a glimpse into the daily activities of the locals. Noodles and porridge were cooked by the street and people were eating on the tiny stools. Women were carrying big bamboo trays, selling raw meat and fresh produce. 

The Dong Xuan Market was the biggest covered market in the city and contained small stalls selling clothes, souvenirs and household goods etc. The wet market was on the other side, selling dried shrimps and dried squids of different sizes. 

One more block towards the east was the Long Bien bridge, which was designed by the same architect as the Eiffel tower. It was once the only way to cross the Red River. We only managed to take a quick snap from a distant because of the rain. 

When we found Bach Ma Temple we were happy to have a shelter from the heavy rain. There are many Chinese temples in the Old Quarter but this one, founded in the 9th century, is is one of the oldest. 

It wouldn't be right not to try the coffee that this country is so famous for so we went to Highland coffee. This particular outlet was right opposite to Hoan Kiem Lake, offering the view of the city centre from the 4th floor.

After the coffee break we headed to several sights around the Hoan Kiem District, including the Den Nogc Son temple and the Huc Bridge. St. Joseph's Cathedral was shut when we walked past so we decided to get some lunch first. 

 Zoka, a small shop selling baguette that was so nice I went there for a total of three times during my stay!

The Little Hanoi served both European and Vietnamese food and we were very impressed by the food and the ambience!

If the rain was not getting heavier Hoa Lo Prison would not probably seem so far. It was first built by the French to house Vietnamese prisoners and later American soldiers during the Vietnam war. The museum now features photos, documents, clothing, torturing devices and equipments, re-telling a piece of painful memory in the Vietnamese history. I was actually too scared to take photographs of the display. The gloomy weather only added to the creepy atmosphere.  

St Joseph's Cathedral was finally opened when we returned so we walked in through its side door. The architecture and the stained glass windows were stunning and it felt very peaceful sitting inside. I was surprised to see such a beautiful church in what I thought to be a Buddhist country. There was no lights or candles inside so it was actually really dark on a day without sunlight.

We found a corner shop selling amazing crème caramel for only 6000 dong each. Of course we returned for more on the day before we left!

The rain refused to give us a break so we headed back to the hotel for a hot shower. 
On the day before we have asked the hotel staff to make reservation for us at Green Tangerine, which was the one restaurant that I really wanted to try after reading the amazing comments on the Internet. Having experienced enough of the wet weather earlier today, we were not in the mood of getting soaked in the rain again. With the help from the hotel staff, we went for a breezy ride on "cyclo" before dinner. We were not allowed to share one so we each got our own personal driver. Sitting on the comfortable cushioned seat and being protected from the rain by plaster cover, we got pushed around the streets of Hanoi by the driver cycling behind us. They took us from the Old Quarter to St Joseph's Cathedral and passed by the Opera House in the French Quarter. While we were promised to a 1-hour journey for VND 10,000, we were dropped off at the restaurant after only 45 minutes. They also requested for extra tips because of the rain. We gave them some extra change to share as tips before quickly vanishing into the restaurant.

Green Tangerine is a restaurant offering French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine with beautiful decorations. We were very impressed by both the service and our dinner. No wonder it is considered one of the best French restaurants in town!