Vietnam last post.

What a wonderful place to have a holiday. Here are my final thoughts about Vietnam.

 

The good points:-

The people

They are so friendly. They take the time to say hello and the children run up to you smiling and respond when you say hello. I am not used to younger folk, teenagers probably, saying hi and trying to make conversation. It was though they were practicing their English on us. Lovely to be away from the western phobic state surrounding children. When we went into Vietnamese restaurants, the staff tried very hard to help us understand what was on offer and most times we ate very well.

The accommodation.

Yes we had asked for 4 star or better and better is what we got. Some of the hotels or resorts looked tired with wear showing but in general the rooms were clean, the linen fresh and the beds king + size. I enjoyed a massage most days in house for way below the cost at home. These were professionally conducted in clean and fresh surroundings. Swimming pools did not have a chlorine pong and the pool side service topped off our time at the pools. Again hotel staff were polite, smiling and trying to assist where ever they could.

The food.

OK my weak stomach let me down and I suffered with runny tummy. This happened on day two and the Active bacteria pills we had fixed me up AQAP. In general the breakfast offered were western or Vietnamese with some very interesting dishes on offer. Lunches differed between restaurant from western to Vietnamese but mainly Vietnamese. Seafood is plentiful and on the whole fresh. Rice by the plate full, steamed, fried or sweet. A good filler up. The chicken and red meats eaten were well prepared and have given us some interesting dishes to try at home. Soups are very tasty and come in many forms. Pam enjoyed them more than I did having them for brekkie. We ate at road side stops, back street cafe and local restaurants and rarely did we leave food on the plate. A must experience trying the different foods.

The scenery

Diverse, awe inspiring, wonderful. We went from river plains to high country. It amazed me to see rice paddies almost in the middle of towns. To see the diversity of vegetables growing, the huge array of flowers and the lushness of the surrounding bush. We were to enjoy only a few rain days but when they occurred, waterfalls abounded. To see water spewing out of a sheer rock face, amazing. The rivers full of colourful boats, floating markets, people going about their lives. The water hyasins floating by in the canals as we are propelled along by oar, little or no sound, few passers by.

The roads and air ports.

With 30 million scooters on the roads, it does not take much to imagine the situation. The road users are polite to say the least. They let you through, move over to allow you to cross and rarely appear flustered. To see a child walking across a busy highway by just setting out and everyone moves around them without slowing. A bit scary but so organised. Many of the roads are under construction so do not expect your trip to be fast or smooth. Air ports easy to navigate with clear signage or helpers willing to assist. Again nothing appears to create friction, it just happens.

The climate.

We were here in the hot and rainy season. Rarely did the temperatures or humidity become unbearable and drive us in doors. Of the 14 days we were here we had rain on 2 days. It’s not cold so we could stand out in it and dry off when it stopped. I feel we were here in the best time as the waterfalls were flowing and the plants looked fresh.

The down side.

Litter

This would be the only disappointment we had with Vietnam. Nearly every where we went we were confronted with litter. Plastic bags, shell fish and rotting vegetation. Human waste is not common which is a blessing. To swim in the sea and have a plastic bag wrap around your leg is off putting. This caused the air at times to be rank which when on the back of a scooter is interesting. One minute the fragrance of the flowers, the next rotting what ever. Still it became easy to look past the litter and see the country surrounding.

To round up, if you have not been, this is a must see destination. We will be back to enjoy more of Vietnam as soon as we can.

Vietnam and Home

Well our last day has come and gone, we are back at home now contemplating the wonderful holiday we had in Vietnam. Since my last entry we have spend the time relaxing. We played tennis in the morning, around 0600hrs for 1/2 to 1 hour then a swim in what looked like our own pool followed by brekkie. As it is the off season and mid week we had the place basically to ourselves. Their was the same number of staff as if a crowd were in residence so most days we enjoyed the best of service. We gave the gym a shake but the room was very hot even with air con and fan on flat out. The equipment on offer very basic but still good to work lazy muscles.

On one of the days I jumped on the back of a Moto (scooter + driver ) and took of into Long Hai. I was looking for a bank or ATM plus wanted to go to the local market. At first I had been told the closest of either was 10 km away but as we zoomed along we came across a bank. It was open but not for business so I asked the manager to let my Moto know where to go. A little further down the road and an ATM. Drew some funds and off to the market. At this stage i was not taking pictures so sorry none to show. The market about 1 full block with veg,fruit and live animals around the back and side. The stall holders did not push their goods at you and some were even asleep. All manner of goods on offer with tailors sowing and other merchants deep in conversation. I was looking for Vietnamese coffee makers, a small individual coffee percolator for one cup of coffee. I was told to pay 6,000 to 10,000VAD but without bargaining paid 4,000VAD for them. We set off for home with our purchases. 

Our last day saw us having brekkie early then a swim. A new French family had arrived and Pam engaged one of the family in conversation. She was 9 and of Vietnamese extraction living with her family in France. Very interesting. We then packed up and checked out. The resort had confused our check out date, they had us leaving on Friday. The resort had offered us 2 free massages and complementary laundry service but as this was our last day they did not charge us for 2 massages I had already enjoyed, very customer focused. Our driver was late arriving, 1 hour late. We became worried about meeting our plane but after a few SMS to our agent all turned out well. Mr Khahn collected us and made all speed to have us arrive a few minutes after the original planned time. It was interesting being in a hurry, dodging scooters, trucks and busses while trying to maintain a hurried pace. Most times we we where governed by speed limits of 40, 60 or 80 but Mr Khahn managed to negotiate a little more even with the traffic congestion. I was very glad he was driving and not me!

Our flight to Singapore was on Jetstar Asia so when into Singapore we had to go through customs, immigration, collect our bags and come back into the air port through security to check in for our Qantas flight home. As time was tight we had little time to relax in the lounge before our flight was called. This could be a trap for unsuspecting travellers like us who do not allow time for these formalities. Still home now and after reviewing our trip photo’s I will make a final post to this blog with our closing impressions.

Till then Chow.

Vietnam Day 11

Day 11 Long Hai Beach

We are waking earlier and earlier, this morning I was ready to fly around 4:30. I had been up during the night looking at a lightning storm over the sea. With the lights from the many fishing boats dotting the horizon the scene was Vietnam. Also so wonderfully warm but being bitten so back in to bed. Eventually we rise and head to the beach for a swim. We are put off by the colour of the water. Is it mud brown and after Doc Let’s crystal clear water a let down. Brekkie and a swim in the pool. We decide to walk some of the way into Long Hai to check out the area and buy water. The temperature is not too hot but the looks we get from the locals as we walk along the road is comical. A lot of the women on scooters are craning their necks to look at us as they go by. Not sure what they think but I am sure they are smiling. We only go 1 km of the 3 km distance and head to the beach. A local beach or for Vietnamese people as busses parked up and people milling about. We pick up our water and some beers and return to the resort. Time now to relax, swim, tennis and the gym is calling and my body is cringing. This may be the last post until we get back home as the next few days will consist of relaxing and then travel home, so I am off to the gym, OK pool but will exercise in my mind.

Vietnam Day 10

Day 10 Doc Let to Long Hai Beach.

We awoke early and headed to the beach for a swim. It was just after 5:15 and the beach was alive with local people. Some swimming, others pulling in a fishing net and others just having fun. Boy this place is alive. Back to the room, pack up, brekkie, sign out and await our driver. Up rolls Mr Tam, so good to see him as we know his driving and are starting to understand him better. The weather is warm and humid but dry. We have seen very little rain which surprises us as we were expecting a wet season. On the road to the air port. Mr Tam instructing us when to take pictures and stopping the car for us to get a better shot. He is also teaching us, make that Pamela, a few words of Vietnamese. Very little is new as this is the road we came to Doc Let on. Out the other side of Nha Trang is new to us as this is the way to the new air port at Cam Ranh. The air port ex American complements of the war but all the facilities are new and very flash. We are the only plane load it appears for the time being, so a small crowd milling about. Quite a mixture of nationalities. We chat to a Vietnamese lady and her partner from Taiwan. Also Russian and other Europeans. The flight quite short, about 1 hour so on the ground in Saigon and heading for our next ride. This time Mr Kahan, the same driver we had to Can Tho. Boy he never seems flustered and makes driving look so easy. We are amazed every time we go places that there are no accidents it must be the patience of the people as the wiz about. The drive to Long Hai Beach again much the same with the evidence of road works most of the way. When the roads are finished they will be very good but still not the Mitchell Freeway. We pass the turn off to Vung Tau heading east and find ourselves at Long Hai but lost. Mr Kahan stops and gets directions. This is the first time on our trip we have needed external directions. Our drivers have been amazing knowing the way around Saigon, the main roads linking cities to the back streets in the smaller cities and I have yet to see a map or GPS being used! If I were driving I would still be in the Saigon air port car park! We arrive at Anoasis Resort for our final three nights. Looks flash at reception but they think we are over night only. Having this cleared up we go to our room – cottage. Boy what a way to end a wonderful holiday, it is an elegant Vietnamese style cottage, bamboo king bed with large bath and views of the ocean over our balcony. We are in spoilt luxury, the memories form here will be grand. We wander around the resort checking out the facilities, the pool look grand, gym requires our attendance, beach has what you need to relax by the sea and hard tennis court looks well maintained. As it is late we eat in and head to our cottage for the night.

Vietnam day 9

It appears in my befuddled holiday state I have fluffed up the days, we are only on day 9, hurray!!!!

Relax day in Doc Let.

A day of prolonged periods of relax. Up relatively early, swim, big brekkie and relax. More time on the beach to swim and relax. Lunch in the hotel restaurant but the outdoor one. Again we are having a main lunch with no dinner. More relaxing and swimming, it just rolled on. Our day now ended with Pamela nearly out of reading material and I am thinking of playing patience, um something not right with this picture. This is a great place for relaxing with a beautiful white beach, good accommodation and the ever present polite people. One of the guests is from Poland, he works in the local ship yard and has been here 6 months. I may of offended him as I asked if he was Russian as we had been told a lot of Russians here abouts, whops. Tomorrow to drive to Nha Trang, fly to Saigon then drive to our last destination, Long Hai. We are relaxed and happy.

Vietnam day 8

Day 8 Nha Trang to Doc Let

We check out and await our driver. In comes Mr Tan. We are happy to see him and off we go. He takes us on a roundabout trip out of the city so we can take pictures of the fishing boats in the river, the temple of pillars and good places to take pictures of the bay and area. Just as many scooters, busses and other vehicles as before. We swing onto the main road between Saigon and Hanoi. It is busy and not as major a highway as would be expected. It is little surprise it takes up to 36 hours to go by bus between the two, a distance of some 1000 km. We see traditional fishing boats that look like wicker baskets, round but large enough for the fisherman to stand and work in. Further along rice paddies, fish farms, shrimp farms and salt crystallisers. It all here folks just look around, wonderful. Arriving at our beach resort, White Sands Doclet, met with a classic resort set up. Instantly upgraded to beach view room, might be because so few people here! Down to the beach and into the sea. Water like a warm bath and very salty reminds me of Carnarvon. We looked around the complex, looking forward to the gym but no open windows or air con so having second thoughts. Spa and massage very flash and pricey for Vietnam. Still in for a penny in for a pound. Now to relax, relax, relax.