In November 2023, Raunaq and I went to Vietnam for three weeks - and I don’t know where to begin. The people, the landscapes, the food, the motorbikes, the coffee, the coconuts! Trying to sum up our time there in a few paragraphs truly feels like a disservice, but I’ll do my best (and rely heavily on photos). This is just a skeleton blog post for now, but my goal is to flesh out the narratives soon.

We kept our schedule loose and flexible, planning things as we went, and we ended up traveling through four major areas of the North:

HANOI

Hanoi certainly deserves to be considered one of the great food cities of the world, and it’s hands-down where we ate best on our trip. There is lots to see and do, but the real experience is dodging the motorbikes, wandering the alleys, and pulling up a plastic stool to whatever stand looks delicious (and probably Michelin-starred). The bia hoi culture - super cheap fresh beer served streetside - was also more vibrant here than anywhere else. Hanoi may well be one of my favorite big cities.

HÀ GIANG

The Hà Giang loop - four days on a motorcycle through the mountainous northwest of Vietnam - was the highlight of the entire trip. We booked a tour, and Raunaq and I took the “Easyrider” option (aka pillion, or riding behind a driver), so we could be free to just enjoy the views. Our drivers were speedy and excellent - and, they were BFFs and always drove side by side. The scenery in this province is just remarkable: limestone mountains, canyons, rivers, rice paddies, all dotted by small villages of the many different ethnic minorities that live in the region. It was an unforgettable experience.

Although, after four days on the back of a bike, I’m not sure my bum will ever recover.

CÁT BÀ & LAN HA BAY

The 12-hour sleeper bus from Hà Giang to Cat Ba might have left me slightly traumatized, but it was worth it to spend a few days on this island. We came to Cat Ba to cruise the famous, karst-studded Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay (which was absolutely gorgeous, as advertised!), but ended up enjoying all this backpacker-y spot had to offer. Since I was now a pillion pro, we rented a motorbike and zipped around the island, exploring caves, hiking in the interior forest, and generally just enjoying the (slightly) slower island pace.

NINH BÌNH

The region of Ninh Binh is nicknamed “Ha Long Bay on land.” It’s full of mossy pagodas built into caves, jungle-covered karsts, and emerald rivers with floating lotus flowers. If that sounds surreal and ethereal, I promise, it’s even moreso in person. We stayed in the village of Tràng An at the most delightful homestay run by the sweetest family, and I didn’t want to leave.