Every December, my family goes on an overseas holiday to a place that we have never visited before, or at the very least not been back for a number of years. This year, our holiday destination was Hanoi, Vietnam! What makes this trip more unique is that my parents usually do not engage tour agencies. However, my grandma (who has slight mobility issues) will be joining us on this trip. Hence, Mom decided to book a tour package that came with meals, accommodations, a driver, and guides. This would turn out to be the right decision as we fully maximized each day and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. To enjoy the trip a second time, I decided to recap my entire experience, 1 blog post per day. So, starting with day 1, let’s go!
Arrival in Hanoi, City Tour & Night train to Sapa
Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, my parents went to buy 2 travel sim cards. 11 USD for 3Gb per day for a total of 10 days… good deal. The travel agency “thelighttravel” had a driver waiting for us at the gate and brought us for our first meal in Vietnam, Pho with chicken meat. Not just any typical pho, but one with premium cuts of meat. I have tried different types of Pho in Singapore, and nothing compared to this. There we also met Ms Ying. She is a local Vietnamese who spoke fluent Mandarin and was our tour guide for days 1, 2 & 5.
First meal in Hanoi!
The first attraction was Literature Temple which was conveniently located just across the street from our restaurant. This was not a coincidence as I recall my mom saying that the tour agency had made plans to ensure that my elderly grandma would not have to walk too much during this trip. As we entered the temple grounds, I was surprised to see hordes of Vietnamese students dressed in graduation gowns entering the temple. I asked Ms. Ying what was going on? Ms. Ying shared that these students were here for a photoshoot but haven't yet graduated. She went on to explain that when these students graduate, they would be too busy, so many choose to take photos first. My immediate thoughts were that by taking photos first, these students indirectly commit themselves to work hard and graduate. Not a bad strategy come to think of it...
The temple grounds were well-maintained and neatly organised. The statues and steles (stone tablets) designs are heavily influenced by Chinese architecture. You can see fine details carved into the stone, in the form of dragons on the sides and base. These stone artifacts give visitors a glance into the distant past. There is also a huge koi pond right in the middle, making the place feel even more tranquil. For those who can climb up to the second floor of the temple, you can see an overview of the template grounds.
Next stop was Ho Chi Minh Mauloseum. Despite the many visitors, I did not feel cramped. It was that spacious. We arrived around 2 pm, so had missed the flag-raising ceremony which is usually held at 7.10 am. OK, a reminder to myself that next time to be here earlier.
Driver then brought us to Dong Xuan wholesale market. This was a disappointment. Many of the shops were selling the same goods. To make things worse, the prices were rather high. We would learn later that this was a Tourist trap! Ms. Ying told us that there are many cheaper places (why didn’t you tell us earlier Ms. Ying?). Fortunately, my mom and grandma did not buy anything. I feel that this pitstop be omitted from the itinerary altogether.
Give this Dong Xuan market a miss. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Main highlight of today was Ngoc Son temple by Lake Hoan Kiem. Many shops and cafes surround Lake Hoan Kiem. On weekends, the roads are sealed off for a night market. Exploring these shops then is another attraction of its own. We visited the temple together with Ms. Ying, who told us an interesting story about the Hoan Kiem turtles who used to live in this pond. Ms. Ying herself had seen one of the turtles while it was still alive! I like these kinds of museums with interesting legends AND something tangible that you can see and touch.
Eventually, it was time for dinner. Ms. Ying brought us to Time com Thang Nam restaurant for an 8-course meal. The food was delicious but the restaurant had a tripping hazard. There was a step that was not visible and my elderly grandma fell. She almost smashed her head into the side of another table. Such a close call! My parents were angry, but still left a decent Google review of the restaurant and mentioned that hazard. I hope the restaurant takes the feedback seriously. Such accidents could end any travellers' holiday right there and then, or worse. I will have to find a way to feedback to the travel agency…
Last event of the day was an overnight train ride via Sapalty Express. Our tour agency was extra thoughtful by putting us at a nearby hotel just to rest a few hours before going for the train ride. Bonus points!
The overnight train ride to Saba was more enjoyable than I expected. Clean, comfortable, and relatively spacious compared to my last KMT train. I stayed in one cabin with mom & dad while my sister shared another cabin with my grandma. Climbing up and down the double-decker was fun. The train had a wash basin and toilet which was amazingly clean throughout the journey. I could tell from the accent that the majority of the passengers were Singaporeans. As the train chugged along, it passed by some restaurants that were so close, you could see what was on their dinner table!
The only complaint I have from today was that from the short journey from the hotel to the train station, we had to cross a busy road as well as walk past a dirty and smelly area. This was especially difficult to do when carrying luggage and also holding onto my grandma. Fortunately, another trainee-guide Mr Quan helped us cross the road and led us right to our cabins. And so marks the end of Day 1. Chia Howie
9 December 2023
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