Archívy Vietnam - 2troubletravelers

Complete guide to Hanoi Vietnam – Where to stay, what to see and tips on the best gastronomy!

Domi & Thomas — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:46:56 +0000

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam, visited by more than 3 million tourists from all over the world every year. Even though it may look a bit messy and dirty at first glance, only few people can leave it without falling in love with it. Traffic is absolutely insane here and you’ll need a lot of courage to get to the other side of the road.

However, if you love Vietnamese cuisine and like to explore the culture of foreign countries, we guarantee that this is exactly what Hanoi offers in all its glory. In this article you will read about what to visit in Hanoi and especially which restaurants and cafes you should definitely not miss. So let’s get to it.

Where to stay in Hanoi Vietnam

2 nights are all you need to explore the beauty of this city. The best place to live is the center of the old town (Hoan Kiem), which has everything you need to see as a tourist. We stayed at the Hanoi Prime Garden Hotel Spa and paid 21 euros for one night for two. It wasn’t luxurious, but we were in the center of the action, the room was clean and most importantly – it was quiet. After a few days in Vietnam, you’ll know what we’re talking about. The Vietnamese love to honk and since the most common means of transport there is a motorbike, it can be quite annoying if you live on the main street.

You can expect this standard in Hanoi for 21 EUR.

Places to visit in Hanoi

Train Street Hanoi

The most famous tourist spot in Hanoi is definitely “Train Street”. It is a very narrow street with many restaurants and bars on both sides. However, a train passes through the middle of this street several times a day. So as long as you catch a good table, the train will pass about half a meter away from you. It’s definitely an experience of a lifetime, but… We consider this place to be one of the great disappointments of Vietnam. We heard a lot about it, saw a lot of videos and photos on social media and thought it would be something really special.

The street through which the train passes is beautifully lit in the evening.

Chaos on the street

What put us off right from the start, however, were the annoying Vietnamese who were forcibly luring us into bars for a drink. It’s not so much that they wanted to get clients, but it’s the way they did it. Even before entering this street, you will be approached by several locals who will tell you that you cannot enter the street without first “swearing” to one of them, who will lead you to your table.

We find it completely redundant to choose a bar or restaurant we want to have a drink in without even seeing it, just based on some person who catches us at the entrance. So we tried to ignore those things, thanked them nicely and moved on. We made it to the street without it.

There is a good atmosphere on this street until the train is about to arrive. Then they all act like they’re out of their minds. Firstly, tourists trying to grab the best spots for photos and videos and secondly, Vietnamese people shouting at everyone to move aside, clearing tables and being really very unpleasant. The thing is that officially this concept is forbidden and if the police show up once in a while, everyone has to pack up and close down within a minute. We’re not surprised, because it’s really dangerous. So first they entice you by telling you that they’ll give you the best table and that there’s a train coming in a few minutes, but when the train arrives they pack up your table and tell you to stand up and wait.

Do you want to be fully prepared for your trip to Vietnam? Read 6 important tips before visiting Vietnam: what you need to know!

Tran Quoc Pagoda Hanoi

Another very popular place in Hanoi is to visit the pagodas around the lake. It’s a very nice historical place, where there is no entrance fee. The surroundings of the pagoda are very romantic and it is definitely something to see in the city. In front of the pagoda you will also find local stalls with various souvenirs. Along the lake, you can enjoy the local atmosphere as Vietnamese people sell various delicacies and old men catch fish.

Pagoda is a general term for an East Asian Oriental or Buddhist tower temple.

Hoan Kiem Lake + Ngoc Son Temple

An ideal activity in Hanoi is a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is located in the heart of the city, close to the center. This lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple. The ideal time to visit this place is early in the morning or early evening, when the weather is ideal and you can avoid large crowds. Just a short walk from here is the Old Quarter town center, where you’ll find beautiful streets lined with restaurants and cafés, which we’ll talk about in more detail in the gastronomy section.

In the streets of Hanoi, you'll find vendors with various goods at every turn.

Museums in Hanoi

If you’re a culture lover, you’ll definitely find something for yourself here. There are some very interesting museums where you can learn a lot about the history of Vietnam, as well as about the ethnic groups that live in this country. The Ethnology Museum, the Vietnam Women’s Museum, and the Vietnam National History Museum are worth mentioning. There is a symbolic entrance fee (approx. 1.5-2€).

Tip for a trip from Hanoi!

A very famous place around Hanoi is a small village called Quảng Phú Cầu. In this village, scented sticks are produced, which are specific to Vietnamese culture. The locals turned it into a tourist attraction in the form of a “field of colored scented sticks“. When reviewing this place, you’ll come across two groups of people – those who absolutely love it and those for whom it was a huge disappointment. We belong to the first group because it was really something we had never seen before.

There is also a local bus to this place, which takes about two hours. The bus departs e.g. from station 12A Điện Biên Phủ and you will pay approximately 0.5 EUR. However, we visited this place on our last day so we didn’t have enough time. We booked a taxi through the Grab app, which took about an hour. The driver waited for us and then drove us to the airport. We paid a total of 40€ for the whole transfer.

The photos and videos from this place really look like from another planet. There are brightly colored sticks everywhere, with a path leading between them where you can walk. The entrance fee is 2,5€ per person and if you want they will lend you a typical Vietnamese hat or a fancy dress. You can even pay for a professional photo shoot. When you come here by taxi, however, make sure you visit the right place. The correct location is here.

Incense sticks come in different colors and look magical when burned together.

Gastronomy in Hanoi

One of the reasons we love Hanoi is the gastronomy. Vietnamese cuisine is our favorite cuisine, but after almost three weeks in Vietnam, we discovered that it is not the same everywhere. In some of the less touristy places it was really hard to find a good restaurant. However, there was no shortage of this in Hanoi. If you spend only 2 or 3 days here, you have a lot to do to taste the best dishes. So get ready for several courses a day

Our favourite Vietnamese dish - Pho Bo.

Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su

The top unit among all Hanoi restaurants is the Michelin Pho-Bo for 2,5€. Be prepared to wait in line for a while, but it will definitely be worth it! You will have a choice of several types of Pho-Bo, which differ only in the way the meat is cooked. We usually had Tái or Chin. As the restaurant is quite small, it’s possible that you’ll be seated at a table with complete strangers, but this adds even more authenticity to the restaurant. We have returned to this place up to 3 times.

If you want to enjoy the Michelin-starred Pho Bo, you'll have to wait in line for a few minutes at least.

You can see the preparation of your Pho Bo directly in the restaurant.

Banh Mi 25

Apart from soups, Banh Mi baguettes are typical for Vietnam and can be found on every corner. Definitely the best place is Banh Mi 25, which is usually full of people. Banh Mi is usually stuffed with paté, meat and vegetables. The specific ingredient is coriander – lots of coriander! For a baguette you will pay about 2€. They also have delicious breakfast options with avocado and egg. A lot of people also like the skillet pancakes, which not only look great, but taste great too!

You'll have to queue at this place, as it's very popular with locals too.

But the wait for this baguette is worth it.

Bun Bo Nam Bo Bo Bach Phurong

Vietnamese food that we also like to enjoy here in Slovakia is Bun Bo Nam Bo. However, not everywhere in Vietnam they do it the way we are used to. Even though it’s their national dish, it tasted really bad in a lot of restaurants. However, you will not leave this place disappointed. Again, this is a very local place where you can see right into the kitchen, but the food is really tip-top.

Bun Bo Nam Bo is also our other favourite must-try Vietnamese dish.

Café Pho Có

A typical Vietnamese coffee is coffee with condensed milk or so-called “egg coffee“. Yes you hear right, it’s coffee with beaten egg yolk. This café is perfect for your first tasting. You have to go through a local shop to get to it. You will then be taken to a beautiful lobby full of flowers, where you will be greeted by the staff. Downstairs you order and then you can choose one of the three floors of the café. The highest one offers a view of the whole city. The café is very nicely and authentically decorated and has an incredibly good atmosphere.

You can easily miss the entrance to the cafe, as it's accessed through a local clothing store.

Inside, however, it looks absolutely beautiful and you wouldn't know you were in the centre of Hanoi.

Cá Bóp Coffee

If you want to enjoy a great cup of coffee while watching the hustle and bustle of Vietnam’s big city, this is the place for you. It’s a bamboo café upstairs, with a very narrow staircase that Thomas almost couldn’t fit up The view from the café is really priceless though.

King Rotti

For those who have already visited Thailand, the name Rotti will probably be familiar. In Thailand, it’s all about their local pancakes. It’s no different in Vietnam, but Rotti is sold here in a completely different consistency. It is also a pancake batter, but in the form of a fluffy bun filled with the filling of your choice. They have both sweet and savory versions. We definitely recommend nutella and cheese!

These little buns are the perfect dessert after a great lunch.

Hot Pans

Another typical dish are the frying pans, on which you can grill your dinner according to your preferences. This kind of restaurant is very popular especially among locals. So if you happen to see a restaurant full of locals and there are no tourists, there’s no need to worry. You’ll probably enjoy the best and cheapest local Vietnamese food there. You can find this type of restaurant at every turn, but most of them are on P. Tạ Hiện Street , Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam. On this street, among other things, you can enjoy great nightlife.

You can grill the food of your choice on the frying pan.

If you are going to Vietnam and looking for reliable information in one place, our E-book “North Vietnam – 60 Must See Places” will give you all the answers!

119 pages packed with practical information, unique locations and perfect itineraries for different lengths of stay.

In addition to the most famous tourist spots, there are also hidden treasures to be enjoyed without the crowds of tourists. You will also find a map with all locations in one place!

You can find more information in the “e-books” section or on this page.

* All links in this article including accommodation through booking are affiliate. All in one place. It won’t cost you any extra money or effort, it will make your planning easier and save you time. We would be delighted if you booked your dream holiday through them

Príspevok Complete guide to Hanoi Vietnam – Where to stay, what to see and tips on the best gastronomy! je zobrazený ako prvý na 2troubletravelers.

6 important tips before visiting Vietnam: What you need to know!

Domi & Thomas — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 02:13:51 +0000

Vietnam is a beautiful country that attracts thousands of tourists every year. It offers beautiful scenery, nice beaches, cultural experience and great food, all at relatively low prices.

However, before you decide to visit it, you should know that it is in some ways quite different from other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, or Indonesia.

What do I need to be careful of? Here’s a list of 6 things you should know before you visit Vietnam.

Don’t travel in a sleeper bus but in a VIP cabin bus

One of the most popular modes of transportation in Vietnam is travelling by night buses. Many people see photos and videos of beautiful luxury buses with private cabins on the internet.

But then they arrive in Vietnam, book tickets for a sleeper bus, and when they step on it, they are disappointingly beside themselves. There are three rows of beds, without any privacy, with very little space for one to travel comfortably. How is this possible?

In fact, there are two kinds of sleeping buses in Vietnam. One of them is called “sleeping bus” and the other is “VIP cabin bus”. It is the latter that offers what most tourists crave. Comfortable cabins with curtain, plug, blanket and TV. Find out more about travelling in such a luxury bus in our article.

VIP sleeping bus.

You can’t just park your scooter anywhere

Even though during your travels in Thailand or Indonesia you are used to just parking your motorbike anywhere on the side of the road, at a viewpoint or just in front of a shop and nobody cares, in Vietnam everything is different.

You can only park your motorbike in designated spaces, for which you will of course have to pay. If you just park your motorbike on a vacant lot, there is a good chance that an angry Vietnamese will run after you and show you with his hands and feet that you can’t park there. However, parking fees are not exorbitant, you just have to be careful. You can usually only park for free in front of the restaurant you’re eating at or the hotel you’re staying at.

Since we visited Vietnam after a month in Thailand, it was a bit of a shock for us, so we want you to be prepared.

Don’t go to Ha Long Bay, visit Lan Ha Bay instead

One of the most famous and most visited places in Vietnam is Ha Long Bay. People usually visit this place mainly because of the magnificent limestone islands, caves and rock formations that provide truly unique views. But did you know that right next to Halong Bay you can find a place that offers the same beauty, but is not as crowded and is much cheaper?

This place is called Lan Ha Bay. Here you can book great boat trips and find perfect conditions for water activities such as kayaking, fishing or swimming. However, you can do all this for much less money than in Halong Bay and what’s a bonus – without thousands of people and boats, which can really spoil the experience of such a beautiful environment.

Lan Ha Bay

Our tip: Visit Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba Island. We recommend a day trip with CatBa Ventures. They’ll make sure your experience is full of great moments you won’t soon forget.

Want to find out more about similar tips to beat the tourist crowds? We’ve put together a complete guide to help you plan and facilitate your trip in Vietnam. You can find it at the following link.

The best fee-free ATM in Vietnam is HSBC

If you want to travel comfortably in Vietnam, you’ll definitely need cash to do so. You can’t pay by card in many places. There really is no shortage of ATMs in Vietnam, but each one has its own restrictions and fees.

Clearly the best of these is the HSBC ATM, which has no withdrawal fees and you can withdraw a relatively large amount of money from it. Even if that’s not enough, you can withdraw money from it again and again and you don’t have to pay for withdrawals. It’s great, isn’t it? If we compare it with Thailand, for example, where each ATM charged almost 6€, it is a paradise.

One of the few ATMs with no fees.

Never trust Google reviews!

If you check hotel and restaurant reviews on Google or Booking, many times you will find thousands of five-star reviews. Is that even possible? The answer is no

The Vietnamese are really crazy about this and are willing to do anything to get you to leave them a good review. They’ll offer you better hotel rates, discounts on purchases or gifts if you write a 5-star review in front of their eyes. For example, it happened to us that when we were leaving the hotel we were told that we had to pay 5€ for the small bottles of water that we used during our stay. However, if we write them a good review, they will waive this fee.

That’s why it’s very easy to find a restaurant on Google that has more than 5000 reviews and a 4.9 rating and leave disappointed because of mediocre food and service. We didn’t let this limit us, and we only wrote reviews for a reward if we really identified with those five stars.

Eat at restaurants where there are lots of locals!

Don’t be afraid to try restaurants where you don’t see any tourists. These are usually the places where you can enjoy the best local specialities. We spent 17 days in Vietnam and it was in such restaurants that we had the best Pho Bo and other Vietnamese specialties. Of course, this doesn’t apply if you’re looking for cuisine other than the local cuisine. Don’t expect a good pizza or burger from the Vietnamese.

You have to try local Pho Bo.

If you are going to Vietnam and looking for reliable information in one place, our E-book “North Vietnam – 60 Must See Places” will give you all the answers!

119 pages packed with practical information, unique locations and perfect itineraries for different lengths of stay.

In addition to the most famous tourist spots, there are also hidden treasures to be enjoyed without the crowds of tourists. You will also find a map with all locations in one place!

You can find more information in the “e-books” section or on this page.

So, now you’re really ready for your trip to Vietnam. When are you going?

* All links in this article including accommodation through booking are affiliate. All in one place. It won’t cost you any extra money or effort, it will make your planning easier and save you time. We will be very happy if you book your dream holiday through them

Príspevok 6 important tips before visiting Vietnam: What you need to know! je zobrazený ako prvý na 2troubletravelers.

10 Tips to Help You Handle a Sleeper Bus Journey in Vietnam Without Problems!

Domi & Thomas — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 10:56:34 +0000

Sleeping bus in Vietnam.

One of the most common transportations in Vietnam is the bus. As Vietnam is a very vast country, you should prepare for long and exhausting journeys that will guarantee you an experience of a lifetime. However, it does not always have to be positive.

Buses in Vietnam often operate as courier companies, so it is quite possible that during your trip you will stop at various places to load and unload various packages. From motorbikes, building materials to vegetables or live chickens.

With standard buses and minivans, you also have to be prepared for very little space, which Vietnamese can fill far beyond capacity. One time we even had 6 more people traveling in the minibus, so they had to sit on plastic chairs in the middle of the aisle.

One way to save as much time as possible while travelling as comfortably as possible is to travel on a VIP overnight sleeper bus. And here are 10 things you need to know before your sleeping bus trip in Vietnam.

1. Be careful when booking and buy a ticket for the right bus

You need to be very careful when booking an overnight sleeping bus. There are two types of sleeping buses in Vietnam – either you can book a seat on a standard sleeping bus called a sleeping bus or open sleeper bus, or on a VIP cabin bus called a VIP cabin bus.

While the classic sleeping bus is slightly cheaper, it also offers much less comfort. Although there is a bed available on the bus, which is much more comfortable than travelling in a regular bus or minivan, don’t expect privacy. In fact, the bus offers up to three rows of open bunk beds. The second option is to book a VIP cabin bus. On this bus, you have the whole cabin to yourself.

VIP sleeping bus.

2. Buy tickets online – you will be able to choose a specific place

There are several ways to book a sleeping bus in Vietnam. The first is to book the tickets directly with your hotel. If the hotel offer does not suit you, you can make a reservation at the tourist offices, which can be found at every turn. The third option is to buy your ticket online.

There are several portals to choose from, such as Bookaway or 12go asia. We have always bought our tickets through bookaway because they have the best prices and you can choose the specific cabin number you want to travel in.

The price of the ticket depends of course on the length of your route. We travelled from Ninh Binh to Ha Giang and one ticket cost us 32€.

If you’re about to embark on the biggest Ha Giang Loop adventure of your life, be sure to read all the information you need in our article: Why Ha Giang Loop is the most exciting trip in Vietnam – the complete travel guide!

3. When choosing a seat, reach for the lower cabins in the middle of the bus

If you have a choice of seats, we recommend reaching for the lower cabins, which are more stable and, in our opinion, much more comfortable than the upper ones. It is best to choose cabins that are located in the middle of the bus. You won’t be disturbed when opening the front door and you won’t be sleeping in close proximity to the toilets at the same time.

4. Buy sleeping bus tickets a few days in advance

We recommend buying tickets at least a few days in advance, as the capacity of the VIP cabin bus is limited. Most of the sleeper buses leave from the capital Hanoi, where you can get almost everywhere. However, if you are travelling from other areas, the frequency of sleeper buses is much lower, so make sure you book your seat as soon as possible.

5. Be prepared for air conditioning

As is customary in Vietnam, the air conditioning is always on full blast everywhere. It’s no different in the VIP sleeping buses, where the driver doesn’t care if it’s 30 or 10 degrees outside. The climate just goes full blast. Although you will have a blanket available, we still recommend you bring a sweatshirt to save yourself an uncomfortable journey.

6. Don’t worry about the TV, you won’t be able to turn it on anyway

A TV is available on several VIP sleeping buses. Legend has it, however, that no one has managed to make it work You can try, but you’d better not count on it. However, you’ll have USB power available, which can guarantee you uninterrupted entertainment on your mobile or tablet.

7. Not all sleeping buses have a toilet

As we have already mentioned, there are several VIP sleeping buses in Vietnam, so you need to prepare for different conditions. Sometimes the toilets are at the back of the bus, sometimes you have to wait for the stop. You can expect 2-3 stops during an 8-hour journey – it all depends on the driver’s decision, which can be erratic.

8. Prepare for noisy passengers and bring earplugs or earphones

The quality of your journey can depend a lot on which passengers come onboard. In our case, it was a pretty calm and quiet crew, thanks to which we got some sleep. Often, however, you may come across a person on the bus who will be on the speaker phone with their family for the whole journey, or snoring the entire time. We recommend that you bring headphones or earplugs.

9. Read reviews and save yourself from a nightmare

As is the case with hotels or restaurants, there are operators who neglect their buses, thus reducing the overall quality of travel. It’s definitely essential to read reviews before booking buses, as sometimes you may find, for example, cockroaches on the bus, which may not be the best travelling companions.

10. The ride may start and end at a different time than it is supposed to

Even though the bus is scheduled to leave at 19:30, it can very easily happen that during the day you receive a Whatsapp message that you will be picked up as early as 19:00. The same can be true in reverse and you can wait more than half an hour for a bus. You need to be prepared for this in advance. Don’t worry though, the bus certainly won’t leave without contacting you in advance. This, of course, also determines the time of arrival at the final destination.

Cabin in a sleeping bus.

If you are going to Vietnam and looking for reliable information in one place, our E-book “North Vietnam – 60 Must See Places” will give you all the answers!

119 pages packed with practical information, unique locations and perfect itineraries for different lengths of stay.

In addition to the most famous tourist spots, there are also hidden treasures to be enjoyed without the crowds of tourists. You will also find a map with all locations in one place!

You can find more information in the “e-books” section or on this page.

* All links in this article including accommodation through booking are affiliate. All in one place. It won’t cost you any extra money or effort, it will make your planning easier and save you time. We will be very happy if you book your dream holiday through them

Príspevok 10 Tips to Help You Handle a Sleeper Bus Journey in Vietnam Without Problems! je zobrazený ako prvý na 2troubletravelers.

Why the Ha Giang Loop is Vietnam’s Most Thrilling Road Trip – A Complete Travel Guide!

Domi & Thomas — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 09:48:55 +0000

A view at the Chinese border from Vietnam.

When planning our holiday in Vietnam, we came across the name Ha Giang Loop many times. It is a motorbike adventure in the north of Vietnam in Ha Giang province. Most people describe it as the best experience not only in Vietnam, but in all of Southeast Asia. Although we’ve heard and read a lot about it, there’s nothing like personal experience! And so we went for it. Was it worth it?

Definitely yes! To be honest, this adventure literally changed our lives. It’s been a few days since it ended and we still can’t find the words for the beauty we were able to see thanks to it.

Just imagine. You’re sitting on a motorbike, headphones in your ears, listening to your favourite song. All around you can see majestic mountains, picturesque villages or beautiful valleys. Adrenaline flows through your veins from riding a motorbike, you feel every single movement of the wind, which gives you an absolute feeling of freedom. Tears come to your eyes as you are grateful to be there and see the beauty of nature with your own eyes. So let’s talk more about that.

Where to book a Ha Giang Loop tour

The tour usually starts in the provincial capital of Ha Giang. In this city you will find many companies offering different types of tours. You can usually choose between 2, 3 or 4 day tours. The offer of these companies differs minimally. These are usually differences in accommodation and eating places. The programme tends to be almost identical.

Initial preparations for Ha Giang Loop.

We did the tour through Ha Giang Vision and we fully recommend it. Everything was very well organized, the drivers behaved responsibly, and we rate the accommodation and food as 1*. We took the three-day tour and we think it’s the best choice. Two days may be too little, and you will miss the opportunity to visit beautiful places. However, four days can be too much, as the whole program can physically exhaust you.

How to choose a company for Ha Giang Loop

Book your tour at least a few days in advance. Since they start every day, there is no big problem with capacity. One of the reasons we chose Ha Giang Vision Tour is because their groups are usually 5-10 people, which is absolutely ideal.

In Ha Giang you will also find more well-known companies with more than 20 people + drivers starting every single day. On the one hand, it can be great for those who are travelling alone and want to meet lots of new people. On the other hand, be prepared for the fact that everywhere you go will be crowded and you won’t enjoy the views to the fullest. Our group consisted of 7 people + 6 easy drivers, which was the ideal number and we enjoyed everything to the maximum.

Beautiful views at every turn.

Ha Giang Loop with or without an easy driver?

There are two ways to do the Ha Giang Loop Tour. Either you go on a motorbike alone or with a professional driver. However, you must bear in mind that you need an international motorcycle licence to do this tour without a driver . We saw several police patrols along the route where they were checking just tourists riding on their own. You can be fined or sent home for driving without a licence.

Since neither of us had that kind of license, we both took it with a driver and don’t regret it at all. We were able to fully enjoy all that Ha Giang Loop has to offer!

This is also what the roads looked like.

Ha Giang Loop tour price

For a three-day trip without a driver you will pay about 100€, with a driver it is 140€. The price includes accommodation for 3 nights (including the one on which you arrive by night bus), meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), raincoats and water. The only things you have to pay extra for are some drinks, extra food, or some souvenirs.

Drink with a view.

Therefore we recommend that you take cash with you, as most places do not allow you to pay by card. Accommodation is usually in hostels or in home stays, so don’t expect any five-star hotels. If you don’t want to share a room and bathroom with others you can pay a few extra euros for privacy. We paid an extra 10€ per night and had the place all to ourselves.

How to get to Ha Giang

The most popular way to get to Ha Giang is by night bus directly from Hanoi. You can read more about sleeper buses in Vietnam in our article. Of course, you can also travel from other parts of Vietnam such as: Ninh Binh, Sapa or Halong Bay. These buses usually depart in the evening and arrive at their destination in the middle of the night.

However, the companies offering the tours are prepared for this and will arrange for you to stay directly in their hostel, where you can check in, get some sleep and be ready to start your tour in the morning. These hostels usually also have restaurants where you can enjoy a tasty breakfast and coffee in the morning to give you plenty of energy for the adventure ahead.

Sleeping bus in Vietnam.

What to pack for Ha Giang Loop

If you arrive in Ha Giang with a lot of luggage, you will be given the option to leave it at the hostel and go on the tour with only what you need. You really don’t need to bring everything with you because you won’t need it. It will unnecessarily detract from your comfort while travelling. We therefore recommend packing only the essentials.

What you should definitely not forget is a warm (preferably waterproof) jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses, headphones, cash (in case of buying coffee, beer or other drinks) and some audio-visual equipment since there will be something to camera! Included in our trip were raincoats and shoe covers, which really came in handy on the third day as it rained most of the time. Even so, we had our own raincoat and thermal underwear with us.

They dressed us all nicely so we wouldn't get wet.

How does it all work?

On the morning of the first day, you will all meet at the hostel for breakfast, where you will receive all the necessary instructions and meet the group that will share this wonderful adventure with you. At approximately 9:00 you will hit the road. All day long you will experience breathtaking views and beautiful moments that you won’t easily forget.

A lot of times we get asked if it was too uncomfortable. Since the program is set up so that you really have a lot of stops during the day, you don’t have to worry about not being able to make it. Obviously, for a person who is not used to travelling every day on a motorbike it can be a bit unnatural and challenging, but we guarantee that all the things that will be happening around you will suppress all your uncomfortable thoughts and feelings about travelling.

One of the many insta spots during our trip.

Meals

During the day, you will stop for a delicious lunch, which will be served in a very familiar way. You all sit at one table and are given a variety of local specialties to share with each other in the center of the table. There is always a great atmosphere at the viewpoints, with music playing, people having a drink or playing games. It’s just great.

Lunchtime.

In addition to the views, you’ll visit many picturesque villages and get to know the culture and life of the local people, whose reality may not always be the happiest. Many times you see women working hard in the fields, children carrying heavy loads on their backs from a young age, or little girls running barefoot in the street even when it is 10 degrees outside. The reality of North Vietnam is really harsh, there is poverty and people live a simple life. It literally sent shivers down our spines. It is good to experience it and see it with your own eyes, because one becomes aware of values and begins to appreciate more what one has.

Children work here from an early age in difficult conditions.

Happy Water

Every night you enjoy a great dinner, games, karaoke and happy water, which is an important part of every tour. It is a local alcohol (rice wine or rice wine in our country), which has from 20% to 40%. It tastes very specific, but it provides great fun. You have it included, of course. We guarantee that after three days you will know the Vietnamese cheers toast by heart!

Happy Water was never missing at the dinner.

At the end of the tour, you return to your destination as one big family. A family that has had a wonderful adventure. During those three days, the family which ate from the same table, sang karaoke, competed in billiards and shared life stories with each other after happy water. Tears come to your eyes because you know it’s the end. Yes, that’s how strong the emotions of Ha Giang Loop are!

“The Ha Giang Loop was definitely the biggest adventure we’ve had the chance to experience so far, and we think it’s hard to top it!”

Feelings

We agree with the opinion of all the YouTubers and bloggers we’ve read and see that it’s a thing you just have to experience. We experienced it and it still gives us goosebumps to this day.

Scenery like from a movie.

If you are going to Vietnam and looking for reliable information in one place, our E-book “North Vietnam – 60 Must Visit Places” will give you all the answers!

119 pages packed with practical information, unique locations and perfect itineraries for different lengths of stay.

In addition to the most famous tourist spots, there are also hidden treasures to be enjoyed without the crowds of tourists. You will also find a map with all locations in one place!

You can find more information in the “e-books” section or on this page.

Are you going to Vietnam? You already know what not to miss

* All links in this article including accommodation through booking are affiliate. All in one place. It won’t cost you any extra money or effort, it will make your planning easier and save you time. We will be very happy if you book your dream holiday through them

Príspevok Why the Ha Giang Loop is Vietnam’s Most Thrilling Road Trip – A Complete Travel Guide! je zobrazený ako prvý na 2troubletravelers.