I Heart Vietnam: Part 1 Mekong Delta and the South

I’ve been excited about visiting Vietnam since I started planning my trip and it turned out to be everything I’d hoped and more. 

Day 141 Can Tho My first night in Vietnam was spent in a lovely little homestay on the border at Can Tho. We stayed in very ‘authentic’ accommodation which was basically a metal shack with a mattress and a mosquito net. It was all quite fun , if a little sweaty, until I woke up in the morning with my bottom covered in big, angry, red bites! A mosquito net and DEET were no match for whatever decided to feast on me and it took much of the next week to to get my posterior back to  normal! 

The next day we visited the Can Tho floating markets, helped make some rice noodles and picked up some fresh fruit in the local morning market before boarding our bus and driving through the Mekong Delta region to Ho Chi Minh City. The Delta region was so flat, lush and green with fruit and crops being grown as far as the eye can see. It’s like the Licolnshire of Vietnam. 

Day 142-144 Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon We arrived in Saigon and went straight out on a Cyclo tour of the city to see the sites. We visited the War Remnants Museum, the infamous cross section where a Buddhist monk burned himself to death in protest, the cathedral and post office. I can’t say it was a particularly uplifting tour, rather morbid in fact, apart from the Cyclos which made us look like we were in old fashioned wheelchairs whizzing through the traffic! That night we had our  final night out of the Cambodian Tour and having been rather well behaved since Siem Reap I ended up being the last man standing, or sitting actually, smoking a shisha pipe with 2 Ukrainian gangsters. 

The final day of the tour was accompanied by a serious hangover. Rather than languishing we downed umpteen packets of rehydration salts and took a 2 hour coach to visit the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels which were used by Vietnam Cong during the war. Learning about lethal traps and shuffling along tiny, hot, underground tunnels to the sound of gunfire was hell. Next time I’ll stick to languishing. 

At the end of the day I was very sad to say goodbye to another bunch of lovely tour mates.  This group were particularly nice and very genuine. However I couldn’t wait to meet up with my friends in Hoi An, the first familiar faces since Japan. 

From Saigon I hopped on an 17 hour sleeper train to Danang (the nearest station to Hoi An). The train departed at 12 noon and I settled into my soft sleeper bunk for the long journey ahead. I was slightly horrified to be joined by a Vietnamese  guy and his very young daughter. I love kids but the thought of being trapped with a bored under-5 in a tiny cabin for 17 hours was not my idea of fun. To my surprise she was an angel and actually made less noise than the two young chaps on the bunks above us. A couple of films, a pot noodle, a few chapters of my book and a good sleep and I was soon waking up to see the sun rising over the rice fields nearing Danang. 

Of course my ordeal wasn’t over when I arrived at the station. I walked about and hour with my backpack until I found a bus stop for Hoi An. I was sweaty, tired and sick of my sun hat which didn’t fit with my backpack on but couldn’t be squished. When the bus finally came the lady collecting the money dragged me on board, helped me off with my bag and motioned for me to sit by the window where it was cooler. I smiled gratefully. A minute later she came back and coyly asked where I had got my beautiful hat? Without thinking I took my hat off and gave it to her! She was so delighted that it made my day. 

When we reached the Hoi An bus stop I approached the taxi line and as usual was approached by several drivers ready to take me to my hotel. The nicest driver seemed to also be the cheapest so I agreed the price with him a duly followed towards his vehicle which to my horror turned out to be a motorcycle! I tried to explain that my backpack wouldn’t fit but he picked it up, plonked it over the handle bars and motioned for me to jump on. It was actually rather an exhilarating 20 minute ride and what turned out to be the first of a few in Vietnam. 

Day 145-150 Hoi An I’d left the accommodation to my friends whose  holiday I was hijacking for the week and when I arrived I was so glad I did. The first hotel, Ancient House Village Resort and Spa, was literally the hotel of my dreams after nearly 6 months of roughing it. We had been upgraded to a villa and it was so posh there was a bath in the middle of the room. 

Being reunited with my friend Lara was so nice, not least because she brought me a bag of Percy Pigs! We were joined by her sister Ella and Ella’s husband Dan who now live in Australia. We spent the first half of the week enjoying the most fabulous hotel breakfasts, including several courses of fruit, cooked and pastries; lounging by the stunning pool and exploring the lovely Hoi An old town. The streets are lined with beautiful lanterns and charming little shops and eateries.. Our favourites were Morning Glory and Reaching Out , a tea room and craft shop which employs people with disabilities. At Reaching Out you use little blocks and a paper and pencil to communicate with the staff and you are only permitted to whisper. It’s so peaceful and the tea and snacks were delci onus. A must visit if you go to Hoi An. 

Most of the shops in Hoi An seemed to be selling a huge and diverse range of fruit print clothing. From bananas to pineapples to cherries it was everywhere and everyone seemed to be buying it! Whole families were decked out in matching uniforms and it became somewhat of the Hoi An uniform. I was initially embarrassed to admit that we too purchased a few fruity items until I stumbled across an interesting item in none other than Vogue! Turns out Hoi An is very on trend actually. 
In the second half of the week we moved to a 5* resort called The Palm (I think I might literally be the worst backpacker!) Here we enjoyed more ridiculously lavish breakfasts and some time on the beach, joined by Ella and Dan’s friends Alex and Kate. I learnt how to play rummy and we enjoyed copious amounts of cocktails and good food. How could I ever return to my nomadic, budget backpacker existence?!

…Day 150 Bus to Hue Back to the backpacker life and reality 🙁