17-18/3/19 Birmingham- Dubai- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Emily and Digby dropped us off at the airport at 5.30pm for 20.50pm flight to Dubai. We had booked the No:1 Lounge but upgraded to the new Club Rooms for just £6 each, very nice and chilled with table service. However, not sure it would be worth the price if you had to pay in full. Two 7-hour flights, but passed the time snoozing and watching some good films (Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born, Venom and Swimming with Men). Finally arrived at 7.30pm (7 hours ahead in Vietnam), cost around £6 in a taxi to our hotel Windsor Plaza in District 5. We were upgraded to a lovely suite on arrival. Absolutely exhausted, so a soak in the bath and then an early night.
19/3/19 Ho Chi Minh City
Relaxing day to recover from the flight. Breakfast in the club lounge was followed by relaxing by the pool and in the Jacuzzi on the roof. We had a stroll around the market underneath our hotel and then enjoyed a few beers on at the roof top bar, taking in the panoramic views of the city. After drinks and canapes in the club lounge, we headed back to the roof top bar for dinner. Early night as full day of touring the next day.
20/3/19 Ho Chi Minh City Tour
8am start for our tour after breakfast. We had a private tour with our guide Long and driver Dung. First stop was the Reunification Palace, a very impressive 60s building with a bunker in the basement and a helicopter on the roof. We then went to see Notre Dame Cathedral and the old post office, both remnants of French Colonialism. The War Remnants museum was a very sobering reminder of the horrors of the Vietnam war. Final stop was Ben Thanh Market. The traffic is something else here, thousands of mopeds, going in all directions. Crossing the road is not for the faint hearted, the mopeds snake around you. We were very hot and sticky so headed back to the hotel for a dip in the pool, followed by canapes and drinks in the club lounge. Buffet dinner in the hotel, was the best I’ve ever had, amazing choice and free flow beer. We even tried oysters for the first (and probably the last) time! Night cap in the roof top bar.
21/3/19 Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta
The Cu Chi Tunnels are just north of HCM. We learnt a lot about the underground activities of the Viet Cong during the war. The tunnels were very small and claustrophobic, a quick peek underground was enough for me. Lovely lunch there with our fellow travellers. After lunch we had a two-hour drive to the Mekong River Delta for a boat trip and a bit of culture. We tasted fruit grown there, honey wine, coconut toffee and rice wine, complete with snake. The highlight of the trip was a ride in a small paddle boat up one of the smaller creeks. It was a long 11 hour day, but well worth it.
22/3/19 Da Nang
Change of flight time to 2pm so time to lounge around the pool in the morning. Arrived in Da Nang at 3.20pm and took a taxi to our hotel. Hotel Centara was situated on the famous China Beach (USA R & R during the war). We relaxed with a few beers in the beach bar, admiring the sea view, before dinner in Ginger & Lime. The hotel had a lovely location, but was a little dated.
23/3/19 Da Nang
Chill out day by the pool and beach today. Just lay on a sunbed all day with my kindle. Overcast, but lovely temperature for lounging. Dinner at Lime and Ginger again, as food was so good last night.
24/3/19 My Son and Hoi Ann
Early start 8am pick up for a full day of sightseeing. First stop My Son. Torrential tropical storm didn’t stop us, plastic ponchos deployed! My Son is the holy land of the ancient Cham people and consists of the ruins of Hindu temples. It was used as a hideout by the VC so heavily bombed. Lovely lunch on a boat in Hoi An, followed by a walking tour of this historical city with French, Chinese and Japanese influences. Definitely need to go back for another visit in better weather. Back to hotel to dry out.
25/3/19 Ba Na Hills
Another 8am start for this trip to Ba Na Hills, a new resort destination in Vietnam, which was formally a French Hill Station. Ba Na Hills is only a 45-minute drive from Da Nang. We took a ride on the world’s longest cable car (5km), through the clouds into what can only be described as a Vietnamese Disney world. Beautiful gardens, but the French village far too Disney for us. Nevertheless, a great day out, lovely temperature in the hills.
26/3/19 Da Nang
Celebrating Nik’s birthday in Vietnam. After breakfast we spent a relaxing day by the pool. Pizza and beer for lunch. In the evening we caught the hotel shuttle bus back to Hoi An. We had a lovely dinner in the famous Morning Glory restaurant. After dinner, we took a stroll around the very picturesque, lantern lit old town, even managed 10,000 steps!
27/3/19 Da Nang - Hanoi
11.30am flight to Hanoi. We arrived at the Tirant Hotel around 2pm. We had a gorgeous suite in this boutique hotel in the old quarter, with a roof top pool and bar. A few beers on the roof admiring the view of the city and the lake before exploring Hanoi. Strolling around the old quarter we stumbled upon the Green Tangerine restaurant, which was highly rated in my guide book. We were not disappointed, very fancy, French inspired restaurant, with the best desserts. We then went back to the roof top bar for a night cap.
28/3/19 Hanoi City Tour
After breakfast we headed for West Lake, where Senator John McCain was shot down and taken captive and Tran Quoc Pagoda. Next stop was the Temple of Literature, a Confucius temple where students come to pray for good grades, it was the first University in Hanoi. We then toured Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and house. A bit surreal being herded by soldiers past the preserved body of ‘Uncle Ho’. He is idolised in much the same way as Gandhi is in India and Nelson Mandela in South African, all flawed saints! After a lovely lunch getting to know our fellow tourists from all around the world, we visited the Museum of Ethnology. The final stop was the ruins of the old city palace. Exhausting, but great tour, well over 10,000 steps today! So tired we ordered room service.
29/3/19 Halong Bay
8am start for 2-hour drive to Halong Bay. First stop was a Pearl factory in the torrential rain. We then continued to the Marina, lots of investment going on there and very crowded with Chinese tourists. Luckily the rain stopped for us just in time to board our boat. Lovely Vietnamese lunch onboard as we admired the gorgeous scenery. First stop we got off the boat to board a smaller one to go through a cave, into a lagoon with monkeys. We then sailed to Surprise cave, which involved a lot of steps up and down. The cave was huge with 3 big caverns inside. The ‘surprise’ was a very phallic shaped stalagmite! Cruised around Halong Bay with a sunset picnic on the top deck. Arrived back in Hanoi around 7.30pm and had dinner at the roof top bar in the hotel.
30/3/19 Hanoi
Last day in Hanoi. Our hotel was full, so we transferred to Le Foyer over the road in order to have a room until our departure at 9pm. Room was a bit cell like, but for only just over £20, you can’t complain when you only really need somewhere for a shower and change of clothes before travelling. In the morning we strolled to the famous Hoa Lo prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton and toured the museum, we walked back via St Joseph’s Cathedral. In the afternoon we walked around Hoan Kiem lake, with stops for ice cream and beer. At 6.30pm we watched the famous water puppet show, which was a bit surreal. After dinner, we set off for the airport for our 00.40am flight to Dubai. Got back to Birmingham at 12.20pm. Fabulous trip to Vietnam, highly recommend it, we loved every minute of it.
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