After travelling solo through Cambodia, and before heading to Thailand, it was time for my 2nd destination during my solo trip through South East Asia…Vietnam.
And boy what an interesting country is that! After a short 45-minute flight from Phnom Penh in Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam with Vietnam Airlines, I wandered around in a completely different world.
Visiting Ho Chi Minh
After arriving at Ho Chi Minh Airport I got a taxi to my budget accommodation named Nga Hoang Hostel, didn’t cost anything, but wasn’t anything either 😉
I stayed there as an old fashioned backpacker in a four person dorm with shared bathroom. ( I was never really a fan of dorms, but hey, they are the cheapest option when travelling on a budget through Vietnam;)
Plus… I was hardly there, as I was out and about discovering Ho Chi Minh from early in the morning till late at night.
As there is so much to see and do in Ho Chi Minh, I decided to do everything by foot, so I could really indulge myself into Vietnamese life.
The Vietnamese lifestyle is a mix of motorbikes, smog, traffic, lot’s of shopping possibilities, delicious and mega cheap food, super friendly people and chaos! Did I mention motorbikes? 😉
I visited the Central Market in Ho Chi Minh, where you can literally buy everything you can image, and it was so busy that you could easily feel claustrophobic in there 😉
Later, I decided to chill out for a bit in a park and noticed a lot of young people hanging out there. Before I knew, I was in a half English-Vietnamese conversation with some of them, and they told me that a lot of young people come together in central parks or squares to talk with tourist to improve their English.
We chatted along for a while till I decided it was time to go otherwise I wouldn’t see anything else of Ho Chi Minh 😉
I wandered through the streets of Ho Chi Minh, got my coffee fix along the way and loved taking in the chaos of this massive Asian city.
A few hours later I ended up at a Noodle bar named Pho 2000, where Bill Clinton had apparently slurped his noodles before. On the wall there was this massive photo of Bill which I found pretty interesting, so I looked it up and found out Pho 2000 became a famous noodle bar after his visit. I had no idea!
After dinner, I made my way back to my accommodation, had a shower and relax a bit. The next morning, I got my stuff to go to a decent hotel.
A cyclo ( a taxi bike where you can sit in the front ) brought me to the hotel, and luckily I could check in straight away. The hotel was called the May Hotel and was conveniently located, had a rooftop pool with city views and the room was clean and comfy.
War Museum Ho Chi Minh
After breakfast, I decided to take a taxi to another part of Ho Chi Minh and ended up at the Ho Chi Minh War Museum.
Funny coincident: I got free admission. I didn’t even know I had to pay an admission fee, but I was walking around the War Museum and ended up talking to a few people from Australia who were part of an Australian tour group.
So when talking and walking, I later discovered that the tour leader got a group ticket for the Australian Travel Group and as I was talking along with those people I just wandered inside through the gates with this group hahaha… Whoops!
Vietnamese Food Date
After wandering around for a while at the Ho Chi Minh War Museum, I decided to go for a stroll around the block and ended up in a nice park. Soon I got approached by two Vietnamese girls named Kim and Dieu, firing all sorts of questions on me. They found it really interesting that I worked in the Travel Industry as they were studying Tourism at the Ho Chi Minh University.
We chatted for a while and they invited me to come with them to their favourite lunch spot. Nice! Who doesn’t love a good local place to eat?! So we went into a local bus ( which are not the cleanest ) and we ended up at this typical Vietnamese Restaurant where we ate things I never saw before and had actually no idea of what it really was ( And maybe that’s better 😉 )
I was asking about Vietnamese Loempia ( Dutch for Spring Roll ) But they had no idea where I was talking about and when I explained, they recognised it, but they eat it fresh, not fried, and they don’t call it Loempia.
Great to experience this typical Vietnamese Food date with these two lovely local girls. I headed back to my hotel for a refreshing jump in the pool ( which had stunning views over Ho Chi Minh City )
Things to do in Ho Chi Minh
Here are some other things to do and see in Ho Chi Minh, which I discovered during my walks through the city.
- Beautiful French Colonial Buildings including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the 19th century Post office.
- Lot’s of food stalls, especially around the bustling Ben Thanh Market.
- Shopping. Although Dangerous…because when you see the prices, you won’t stop as it’s soo cheap;)
- The Cu Chi tunnels
The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi District and are part of a much larger network of tunnels.
The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War and were used by soldiers as a hiding spot, and supply routes.
Definitely worth to have a look in and around the tunnels, if you have an extra day in Ho Chi Minh!
Night Train from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang
The next morning after waking up at 5 am, I caught a cyclo from my hotel to Ho Chi Minh train station as it was time for my next adventure… Travelling Vietnam by Train.
I decided to catch an early train from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang, which was leaving at 06.30 am, so I would arrive in Nha Trang in the afternoon as I didn’t want to catch the night train.
And luckily I didn’t get a night train from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang, because I wouldn’t have slept a minute.
The scenery is absolutely stunning ( another advantage of travelling by day train from Ho Chi Minh to Nha Trang ) but the train itself… boy oh boy.
Let’s say it’s nothing compared with the Legendary Ghan in Australia, and worse than the train from Bangkok to Chang Mai in Thailand.
Three Words: Dirty, Small, Cheap!
It’s a very cheap option to travel through Vietnam, but don’t expect anything. You can choose a recliner chair, or a cabin with 4 or 6 beds, where you have to sit on your bed when travelling during the day.
If you are in a top bed, you have to sit there all day ( Or find a seat in the restaurant carrier ). So if you can, book a bottom bed, they also have much more space.
There is a restaurant on the train where you can buy snacks and drinks and there are toilets, which are disgusting.
After 7 hours of staring out the window enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way, I arrived in Nha Trang.
Visiting Nha Trang
When I arrived at Nha Trang Train Station, I got a taxi to the Kim Ngan hotel Nha Trang. A low budget 2-star hotel, but with my own room and bathroom. I stayed for 3 nights and paid only around 30$ TOTAL! A super cheap accommodation in Nha Trang.
Funky Monkey Boat Trip Nha Trang
After checking into my Hotel in Nha Trang, I went for a walk to see what I was going to do and see in Nha Trang. The Big Buddha in Nha Trang would be interesting to visit, and I could do a boat trip which I saw on offer at a local tourist office.
So off I went the next day with the Funky Monkey tour. Well, the name says it all… Funky it sure was! A great vibe on board, nice food, good music and nice people who were also travelling solo.
We went to three different islands and an aquarium that wasn’t really interesting. The weather wasn’t brilliant either and because of raining season, the ocean was wilder and muddier than normal, but it was a fun day!
I met a few people from all over the world ( Germany, Scotland, the USA and South Africa ) and we decided to meet up for dinner and drinks after the boat trip.
We had dinner under 8$ including 2 glasses of wine, and afterwards we went to a bar called Red Apple, where we arrived just in time for Happy Hour. With the prices in Vietnam, Happy Hour means that you get your drinks almost for free 😉
I got two glasses of Malibu-Orange Juice for 3$. Yes, you read that right. A real recipe for disaster the next morning, but you only live once they said 😉
Well, After a few Malibu-Orange Juices at the Red Apple Bar and a few welcome shots we ended up at the Why Not Bar. This was a popular Backpackers Bar in Nha Trang.
After a great night it’s needless to say that we all felt a bit hungover the next day when we all met up for breakfast. We decided to chill out at the beach for a bit, then we got ourselves together and went looking for the Big Buddha.
The Big Buddha in Nha Trang
The Big Buddha in Nha Trang is definitely BIG! After walking 150 steps up to reach the top, the surroundings and views are amazing. Definitely a must do when you are in Nha Trang.
Halfway down the track you will find a 14 meter long sleeping Buddha, entrance points to the Long Son Pagoda and beautiful wildflowers.
After our Big Buddha adventure, it was time to get ready for dinner, which we had all together and later we had a quiet drink at the Sailor Club, a modern and cool beach club.
After 2 drinks, we decided it was time to say goodbye as everyone headed off in different directions early the next morning.
Apart from the Big Buddha, there are also several other things to do in and around Nha Trang:
- Wandering around the nice little streets, shops, bars, restaurants.
- Exploring waterfalls
- Chilling out in hot springs like the cheap and relaxing Thap Ba hot springs located a bit out of town.
- Visit other Buddhist temples
- Get active and enjoy a range of recreational activities like diving, snorkelling, rafting and surfing.
How to get from Nha Trang to Hanoi
….When your train is cancelled because of a cyclone?
The next morning I woke up with a message saying that my train from Nha Trang to Hanoi was cancelled due to cyclones ( there were three active ones when I was travelling through Vietnam, although I was very lucky with the weather )
But those cyclones caused floods in Northern Vietnam… The direction I was travelling. Hmm! How was I going to travel to Hanoi?! I kinda had to, as the rest of my trip which included a flight from Hanoi to Bangkok was already planned.
After several calls with the local agent, he told me he could get a refund on my train ticket and they found a cheap flight leaving the next day at 14.00 from Nha Trang to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines.
Great… lets book that in! ( At that point I was lucky I had some things already arranged via my work at the travel company, so the local agent took care of everything )
Well almost… the travel agent was calling me the next morning ( the day of the flight ) that my flight at 14.00 was overbooked!
There was another one at 18.55 that same night… Done Deal!
Then he had to figure out how I would get my plane ticket ( still one of those paper ones back in the days with the white, yellow and pink slip ) and the agent needed my original train ticket in order to get a refund.
After making some calls, the local agent arranged for someone to meet me at my hotel. Easy.
At the end it all turned out perfect as the total train ride all the way from Nha Trang to Hanoi would take 24 hours, and after travelling on that train from Ho Chi Ming to Nha Trang for only 7 hours, I didn’t know if I would like to sit in another train even longer 😉
If you want to travel overland through Vietnam, you can also travel by bus. There are special backpackers busses to the main destinations, but not so sure how safe and clean those busses are tho…
Travelling from Nha Trang to Hanoi
Eventually I flew with Vietnam Airlines from Nha Trang to Hanoi where I arrived at 20.25 after a short 1.5-hour flight.
I had an emergency exit seat, which meant extra space but no view what so ever from my seat. I noticed on my previous Vietnam Airlines flight too that there were always ‘Western’ people sitting at the emergency exit seats. ( Probably because we are ‘long people’ need more leg space 😉
After arriving in Hanoi I got a taxi, where an emergency exit was also necessary because this guy was driving like an idiot. It was like sitting in a real-life Mario Kart or 4wheel Madness game. We took over cars so close that I could easily see what the person in that car was typing on her/his phone. Crazy!
Then he also decided that I might like the Vietnamese version of Whitney Houston, so he turned up the beat so hard that when he received a phone call ( yes also during his madman driving skills ) he had to scream in order to make himself clear. I thought I was going mental!
Luckily, not much later, we arrived at the Drift Hostel in Hanoi where I was staying for 3 nights. The hostel was not too bad ( although Hostels were never really my favourite form of accommodation )
I shared a room with 5 other girls. Two Dutch, two Finnish, one Ozzie. The room was pink, clean and fresh ( not always the case in a hostel, so that was good ) and they had Banana Pancakes for breakfast! Winner!
Discovering Hanoi
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam has been consistently voted in the world’s top ten destinations by Trip Advisor and it’s not hard to see why.
After a good night sleep, I went out and about and discovered the beauty of Hanoi myself.
Hanoi is rich in very beautiful historical buildings, especially in the French Quarter, which was created during the French invasion of Hanoi in the early 90’s.
Although Hanoi is still a busy city, it’s not as busy and smoggy as Ho Chi Minh and so much prettier. There are beautiful old buildings and temples, lakes and parks where you can enjoy the quiet parts of the city and these are beautifully illuminated at night. I really enjoyed walking around in Hanoi an taking in the Vietnamese Culture.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre Hanoi
This is one of the most popular attractions in Hanoi and it’s a world-famous tradition dating back to the 11th century when villagers would create entertainment with the puppets performing over the water when the rice paddy fields were flooded. These days, they use large rods to support the puppets while the puppeteers hide behind a screen.
Try to score a seat close to the ‘stage’ as the puppets are small! Tickets for the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre sell out well in advance so it’s worth booking yours as soon as you can.
Don’t miss out and book your tickets right here ↓
The Perfume Pagoda
Locally known as the Chua Huon ( inner temple ) the perfume pagoda is another well-known attraction located about 60km southwest of Hanoi in the Huong Son Mountain range. You will need to take a taxi or bus for around two hours before catching a boat to reach the temple complex, which is located at a very sacred site built into the limestone cliffs of Huong Tich.
The easiest and fastest way to visit the Perfume Pagoda is by a day tour from Hanoi which you can Book here !
From Hanoi, there are also several other excursions possible. For example to visit the rice fields of Sapa and beautiful but touristy Halong Bay.
I didn’t have enough time to visit Sapa during this trip, and the weather wasn’t that good either, so I decided to travel to Halong Bay.
Halong Bay by boat
Halong Bay is world famous for its beautiful emerald waters, more than 2000 limestone islands, floating villages and wooden tour boats. Located 170 km east of Hanoi, Halong Bay is possible for a day excursion, but I would definitely recommend going at least a night, or two if you have time.
The drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay takes around 3.5 hours and when doing a day trip you spend more time driving than enjoying the beautiful scenery. And you ‘ll miss out on a stunning sunset.
The pickup time for the minivan from Hanoi to Halong Bay should have been 08.00 am but this turned out to be 08.45 am due to busy traffic ( completely normal in Vietnam )
Most Vietnamese vans are build for small people, so if you have very long legs, and you are in the wrong spot, this trip will not be your favourite part of your trip to Vietnam 😉 I was the last one to be picked up, and there was one spot left next to an Australian dude, who was occupying the window seat, so I could stretch my legs a little bit in the aisle.
After 3.5 hours of wobbling and hobbling in that minivan, we arrived in Halong Bay. I ended up with a Kiwi couple, a Swiss couple, an American couple, a French couple two British guys, and seven Vietnamese peope on the boat. A nice mix, but it was almost the love boat with all those couples hahaha.
I went on a 2-day tour and sailed along several islands, there was time to kayak and swim, learn more about the floating villages, we went to a cave island with massive rock formations and I enjoyed a few nice drinks from the deck of the boat during sunset.
There are also tours that combine the boat tour with staying a night in a bungalow on one of the islands. If I had more time, I would have definitely done that as I heard good things about it.
I had my own spacious cabin, which was lovely and the people where all very nice, the food was good, and the scenery was amazing!
Although it was rainy season and those cyclones were still brewing at sea, we were very lucky with the weather… Clear blue skies! And if you want anything at Halong Bay, it’s that! The morning was foggy, which was perfect for a few mysterious-looking pictures.
The day went by in a heartbeat and after a few drinks on the deck, a good night sleep and a lovely breakfast we were back in the harbour before we knew it! Ready to take on the 3.5-hour trip back from Halong Bay to Hanoi.
How to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay
There are several ways to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay. Here are a few options…
• Mini Bus from Gia Lam (Hanoi) to Bai Chay (Ha Long) is the most used and easy way to travel if you want to do Halong Bay on your own.
• By public bus: Cheap, but not the ideal way to travel for international tourists due to language barriers and sometimes complicated routes.
• By Private car or taxi. Is an option, but way more expensive than other options.
• By Seaplane: If you want to arrive in style at Halong Bay, you can fly by seaplane from Hanoi International Noi Bai Airport to Halong Bay for only 45 minutes. The most expensive way of transport, but you will enjoy fabulous aerial views over the countryside and the limestone cliffs of Halong Bay. You can also extend your flight for a complete scenic flight over Halong Bay.
I booked a package which included transfer by minivan from Hanoi to Halong Bay and back and a 2-day boat trip at Halong Bay. Cheap and Easy.
Almost missed my flight from Hanoi to Bangkok
After arriving back in Hanoi from Halong Bay, I got a shower and decided to randomly check my travel itinerary.
In my head, I had one day left in Hanoi and would fly the day after from Hanoi to Bangkok, but when I was checking my paperwork I realised I was flying the next morning very early. Shit! I didn’t have an extra day in Hanoi, I had to pack my back and get out of bed at 03.45 am that same night!
Imagine if I didn’t decide to randomly check my itinerary… I would spend a lovely day in Hanoi to come back and realise I missed my flight from Hanoi to Bangkok!
But I was lucky… So I packed my bag, went to sleep early, got up at 03.45 and went to the airport thinking my flight was going at 07.00 am.
Me arriving at the airport… ‘Hmm Not much going on there’, like seriously nothing… The lights where even dimmed… I decided to check the flight times on the information boards and there was my flight… Departing at 09.00 am. Not 07.00 am.
But, nothing to complain about, as I was on my way to my next solo travel adventure in Thailand!
Verdict on Vietnam
A beautiful country with lovely people, nature and food. Vietnam is also very cheap. Sometimes I had to calculate twice to be sure I was right, as some things were just so ridiculously cheap, I couldn’t believe it.
There are a lot of Motorbikes in Vietnam. Like a lot!!! And some of those motorbikes are topped up with people, fridges, pillows in rows of 10, complete veggie stores, window frames, livestock, boxes with rubbish, motorbikes ( yes a motorbike on a motorbike is not an unfamiliar sight in Vietnam )
Also, travelling solo as a woman in Vietnam was also amazing. There were many solo ( female ) travellers and I never felt unsafe.
Plan your trip to Vietnam
We have created this Vietnam travel guide for you with all the essentials you need to plan your (solo) trip to Vietnam.
Cheap Airfares to Vietnam
We use www.skyscanner.com for all our flights. It’s one of the most popular flight search engines and it compares hundreds of airline companies and booking websites. A big plus for us is that via Sky Scanner, you can look for flights in the cheapest month, and it will also automatically look for the cheapest dates in that particular month.
Where to stay in Vietnam
There are many different accommodations in Vietnam on offer that suits every traveller. Want to stay on a budget in Vietnam or stay in a luxurious boutique hotel? You’ll find something that suits your needs and budget right here
Airbnb in Vietnam
Airbnb offers many lovely Airbnb’s in Vietnam, so you can experience true local Vietnamese life.
Book via our special link to get a massive $$$ discount off your first booking with AirBnb, so you definitely score yourself a bargain.
Have you booked your trip via Airbnb before? Book your next Airbnb accommodation in Vietnam easy and fast right here ↓
Visa for Vietnam
Different passports and nationalities means different Visa requirements for Vietnam.
IVisa is the place to be for all your visa requirements. You can easily see what the requirements are for your passport and apply straight away. Super handy↓
Travel Insurance for Vietnam
A travel insurance for Vietnam just like any other country is absolutely necessary. We don’t travel without it!
World Nomads Travel Insurance is definitely not your not your typical, boring insurance company.
The travel insurances from World Nomads covers people from 140 countries, with medical and evacuation cover, 24-hour emergency assistance, over 150 adventure activities and more.
Simple and Flexible Travel Insurance insurance for independent travellers and intrepid travelling families. Designed by travellers for travellers. Get a quote for your Travel Insurance to Vietnam right here ↓
Tours and Transport in Vietnam
Viator offers a wide range of tours and excursions in Vietnam for travellers who’d just like to sit back, relax and see the highlights of Vietnam with a professional guide. You can also book transfers in Vietnam via Viator.
Check out many different tours in Vietnam for the best prices right here ↓
Group Travel to Vietnam
If you are not that keen on travelling solo to Vietnam or just like the company of a travel group, have a look at G Adventures.
They offer a wide array of organised tours through Vietnam. All you need to do is enjoy! Plus they have amazing last-minute Travel Deals too!
Getting around in Vietnam
Tuk-tuks and cyclos ( bike taxis) are the easiest and cheapest way of getting around the cities in Vietnam.
Trains and buses are an option to get to different places around Vietnam or cross the borders to Thailand, Cambodia or Laos –check your visa requirements at iVISA- but don’t expect any Western standards in regards to hygiene and safety.
You can also book your pre-organised transport overland in Vietnam with Viator here ↓
Best time to visit Vietnam
Weather-wise the best time to visit Vietnam is December to February when it’s dry season ( Also peak season ) It’s always warm in Vietnam, but the most rain and humidity will be between May and September.
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