I spent nearly a month in Vietnam and while it is fresh in my head, I wanted to note some of my observations while traveling there. Vietnam’s history and relations with the US has not always been easy, so I do touch onto that topic. Before reading, just know these are my impressions from traveling.
1) There are many new different types of coffees to try in Vietnam.
Before arriving in Vietnam, I would have never guessed how obsessed the Vietnamese are with their coffees. Across any large city, you can find multiple coffee shops in a single city block. I’m not a huge coffee fan, but I do enjoy drinking a cup or two a day, especially while I was in Vietnam. Are you bored with the normal American options? Well, you can shake it up a bit with the varieties that Vietnam offers. The country is known for its options including egg coffee, coconut coffee, salt coffee and coffee with condensed milk. They will offer coffee both in hot or cold options, so you always will have to state how you want it served. I really enjoyed drinking coconut coffee, especially iced! It was sweet and delicious. The egg coffee seemed to have a yolk in it with some sugar – it was more sweet than anything. With the salt coffee, I personally only tried one – I didn’t care for it too much, but it wasn’t too bad to drink. The salt was very light and complimented the normal coffee flavor more than anything.
With all of the coffee options in Vietnam, it would make you want to ditch a large chain (cough, Starbucks!).
2) The Vietnamese have very little concept of sidewalks.
If you like to walk around cities, it is possible to do in Vietnam, but be ready to walk like you’re in an obstacle course. While there are general sidewalks in Vietnam, they aren’t used for their normal purpose for pedestrians, like in other countries. More or less, sidewalks are used as parking spaces for scooters, motorcycles and even cars. They also are places for people to eat at peoples’ restaurants, to drink tea and/or for their shops/businesses. Very often I was walking on the streets as the sidewalks were completely occupied. This wasn’t the first place in SE Asia I had experienced this, as this was very common in Bali too.
3) Water puppet shows have a long tradition in the country.
Water puppet shows apparently have been a thing in Vietnam since the 11th century and a tradition in its culture. I was able to attend a performance in Hanoi and enjoyed it. The show is set on a stage with a pool of water. Behind the pool is another “stage” (I don’t know the technical term for it), that the puppeteers use to control each puppet.
The choreography was very detailed – the puppets were able to move with ease and were even able to spit out water! The puppets were a mix of animals, including dragons and human characters. There is also live musicians, singers and narrators for the show. You will see the musicians playing local instruments. If you’re in Hanoi, I would definitely recommend to attend a show. They’re not only rich in history, but entertaining as well.
4) The people in Vietnam drive atrociously (by Western standards).
For the first time traveler to Vietnam, the roads take some getting used to. First of all, there is very little order when it comes to traffic. In the big cities, scooters and motorcycles outnumber cars and buses. Bikes will drive in the wrong direction to take a short cut. Drivers don’t take the time to yield to opposing traffic. There is no sense of direction in a roundabout.
If you’re a pedestrian, there is no consideration for you. Really to cross the road you have to start walking and hope that the motorcycle/scooter or car will avoid hitting you. While there are some crosswalks, drivers seem to completely ignore them.
After being in Vietnam for a month, I still don’t like the craziness of drivers, but you learn to get used to it. In a weird way the craziness works and it ends up being its own system.
5) Vietnam is a rapidly developing country, yet still very agriculturally based.
Riding from the south to the north, I took a mixture of train and bus rides. As I moved slowly through the country, I was able to observe many fields. Unlike America, the fields are still worked on by hand of the local workers.
You would never realize this if you didn’t leave the cities, as in the cities, there is much foreign investment happening in Vietnam, and the country is rapidly developing.
6) Spring rolls and coconut coffee were my favorite things to enjoy while in Vietnam.
There were many types of foods and drinks that I tried in Vietnam, but my favorite ones were spring rolls and coconut coffee. Spring rolls were neat as you could wrap up your own and make it to your taste or some were pre-made. Either way they proved to be super delicious.
Coconut coffee was a sweet, but tasty coffee, especially in a chilled form.
7) Try a sleeper bus, if you’re feeling adventurous.
Sometimes the best option, either for those short on time or those looking to save a few dollars on accommodation, sleeper buses are very common in Vietnam. Most buses will have 3 rows across, with a top and lower bunk. I took a couple while traveling through the country, and while I can’t say that I slept super well it was an experience nonetheless.
8) I learned about the Vietnam-American War from the Vietnamese perspective.
The Vietnam is still a “touchy” issue in both the US and Vietnam, but it is important to note due to the past war between my country and Vietnam. While visiting Ho Chi Min City (Saigon), I had the opportunity to visit the War Remnants Museum. This had a lot of artifacts from the war, including many photos of journalists, first hand accounts and old US Military equipment.
Some of the information presented was gruesome and sobering; very candid and blunt in its presentation. I appreciated the opportunity to view the war from the Vietnamese perspective, as the perspective taught to me previously was just on the US side before. I came away with new insights about the war and how it affected the people of Vietnam (and US alike).
9) My favorite spots were Da Nang and Ha Giang Loop.
Vietnam has a lot of great cities and sights to offer. I enjoyed the Ha Giang Loop experience and Da Nang the most.
The Ha Giang Loop is a must for anyone visiting Vietnam in my opinion. I first heard about this loop at some point when I was in either Indonesia or Thailand from other travelers who have done it. First of all, you get out of the city setting and get to see the natural wonders of the black rocks, green vegetation, farms and local villages of the north. I toured this area by motorbike and opted for the “easy rider” option. The easy rider option consists of riding with a professional driver. This was perfect, as the roads in this part of North Vietnam are not for the weary of heart. Not only are the roads curvy, going up and down constantly, but some areas are not paved. The other advantage is you get to enjoy the vistas without having to concentrate on the road. With it also included accommodation in local homestays, with one of them being built in the style of local homes of that region. We got to enjoy delicious local food and take in the vibes of the area. This experience was top for me in Vietnam and one of my favorite experiences during my Southeast Asia tour hands down.
Da Nang was my 2nd favorite spot in Vietnam. From a tourist perspective, there is not much in the city to say persay, but I really enjoyed the lovely beach there and the local vibe. There were so many nice restaurants and bars. I also had the chance to visit an English café there. This is a place where Vietnamese go to practice English as their 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) language. If I were to be a digital nomad in Asia, this would be the spot I would be based for sure.
Conclusion
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to visit Vietnam and the extended time to see much of the country. If you’re coming to SE Asia, I would recommend it as a place to add to your list.
Thanks for sharing!