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Vietnam 2018
  • Fabbuc
  • Manuel Nonnenmacher
October 2018

Vietnam 2018

3 guys - 3 weeks on tour :-) Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 2, 2018
  • Vietnam 2018
    On the ferry
    Last German beerGroup photoZürich by nightETH

    Day 1 Zürich

    October 2, 2018 in Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Hola and welcome to the next well deserved vacation ;-) This time 3 weeks in Vietnam. The team consists of Christi, Nonni and me. We met in Friedrichshafen to take a Flixbus to Zürich. The plan was to stay at a friends house for the night. When we arrived we played a little bit Mariokart on the Nintendo Switch and then we left to have dinner and some beers. We walked through the city center and climbed up a hill where the universities are located. We enjoyed the view and then went back to the flat. Tiredly we fell into the beds to be prepared for the next day with the big flight :-)Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    In the first plane
    Sleeping in Singapore

    Day 2 Singapore

    October 3, 2018 in Singapore ⋅ 🌧 32 °C

    This morning we got up and made our way to the airport of Zürich. We arrived there well on time and after a while we could board the A380 of Singapore Airlines. It was my first time to fly with this type of aircraft and it was great. The entertainment system and the service was perfect, the food was as always. After a 12 hours flight we arrived in Singapore. We had to wait for 2 long hours which we slept almost entirely and then we took the last flight to Hanoi. This time we didn't have so much luck with the entertaining system, it was an older one.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    In front of the Hoan Kiem lake
    PagodaScooters ftw!Buddhist templeShop on the streetBia Hoi beer

    Day 3 Ha Noi

    October 4, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    After 2,5 hours of flight we arrived in Ha Noi. The arranged hostel forgot about us, so we had to call them and wait longer for the pickup. Eventually we have arrived and we went on the crowded streets of the old town of the city. We saw temples, the Hoan Kiem lake, the Opera and even a church. For dinner we tried to meet the other fellow Vietnam travelers (Maike, Matze, Domi, Annika), but unfortunately they got into a bad traffic jam and got late for their night train. Therefore we had to eat "alone" and afterwards we went to drink Bia Hoi, a cheap local beer.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    At work ;-)
    Imperial citadelOn the stepsOld gateIn front of the Ho Chi Minh MausoleumSunset at the West Lake

    Day 4 Ha Noi

    October 5, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Another sunny and hot day in Hanoi. We slept late and had breakfast in the hostel. Then we went again into the city and explored some other areas. We saw lots of temples, the imperial citadel, the presidential palace and the botanical garden, next to other sights. On the way back we had dinner in a Vietnamese restaurant. We shared a hot pot with different meat, vegetables and undefinable food. We took a taxi to the train station, or we tried to: The driver took us too far and it was not easy to find the right spot. Finally we found it and got our tickets to Sa Pa which is in the north of Vietnam. As it was a night train we had a room with four beds which we shared with a local guy. The train left the train station and it started shaking...Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Small village during the trek
    Nonni with umbrellaRice terraces with baby ducksNice viewTeam photoResting after a successful day

    Day 5 Sa Pa

    October 6, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    And it was shaky and bumpy the whole night. We arrived in Lao Cai when the sun was almost rising. A transfer bus brought us to Sapa. We got breakfast at the company of our 2-day-trek we have booked. Then our guide Chi showed up and explained us what was going to happen. We started the hike in the city and then it went steep up the hills. We overtook several other groups and had a very good pace so that even Chi came into a hussle. She is doing these treks since 2009 almost every day. The weather was quite foggy in the morning, but got better later. After reaching the highest point we climbed down through lots of rice terraces and different areas of the valley. This was the most interesting part as it was beautiful and challenging at the same time. We were walking on the ridge - actually on the rigde of rice terraces. Sometimes it was not easy to find a dry way or not to fall from stones. Additonally we saw some animals like buffalos, pigs and ducks. In the afternoon we arrived in the small village where Chi lives with her family. We got French fries as snack and we were wondering if we get more food or not for quite a long time. Eventually her husband brought tons of food on the table. We could eat great food until we were almost exploding. Later we washed the dishes and slept.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Chi and her family
    Misty weatherAt the waterfallJungle feelingBeautiful landscapeOn the motorbikes

    Day 6 Sa Pa

    October 7, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We got up at 8 AM and got a great breakfast. Then it was time to say goodbye to the rest of the family and we continued the hike. Again we first went up the hills, and then crossed lots of rice fields. Additionally we came through bamboo forests. When we came by a waterfall we took a quick bath in the cold water. The weather was even more foggy than the day before, but still very warm. The whole day we only met a few other people on our way. For lunch we made a stop in a village and got again great Vietnamese food. After that we sat on motorbikes and were driven back to Sapa. From there we took a bus back to Lao Cai after saying goodbye to Chi. We met Sarah on our way which met our fellow Vietnam travelers before in Sapa, so we went to have dinner with her. There was a power outage in the whole town, but nobody really cared, we were eating with candle light. Then it was time to take the train back to Hanoi. Another shaky night laid before us.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    "Breakfast"
    One garden of the templeKhue Van pavilion2Walking on the railsResting in the traditional houseParty hard

    Day 7 Ha Noi

    October 8, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We woke up at 4 AM and arrived in Hanoi shortly after that time. The challenge was now to get the day over until 2 PM. We dropped our baggage in our hostel from the days before and walked through the half city to the temple of literature. Luckily the traffic was quite okay in these morning hours. On the way we had breakfast at a local place: A soup with meat, vegetables and rice noodles - "yummy". They seem to eat like this at any time of the day. The temple was a great place to learn more about the history and culture of Vietnam. It included also an early university. After a while we went to see an old traditional house from the 19th century. It is built like a tube with a narrow front and a long interiour. After a short stop at a local market we went back to the hostel waiting for our tranport to Cat Ba. The ride to Cat Ba island was taking 3,5 hours including a speed boat. We arrived when the sun just went down. Then we went to have dinner and afterwards we found a party of Vietnamese tour guides on a floating reataurant. It was very funny to see them drinking and dancing. After a billard game in a newly renovated pub we went back to the hotel.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Lan Ha Bay
    KayakingIn a tunnelKayaking as you should not do itRomantic viewSunset

    Day 8 Lan Ha Bay

    October 9, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    This morning we went to the office of Cat Ba Ventures to do a 2-Day-Tour. The tour started in the Lan Ha Bay which is a smaller bay next to Ha Long Bay. On a boat we were driven through a floating village where people are living on floating homes. Then the journey continued to the famous Ha Long Bay which is UNESCO World Cultural Heritage and voted as one of the new natural Wonders of the World. Over 2000 limestone rocks and islands are covering a huge bay. We were able to jump from our boat and swim around in the warm water. After lunch we entered kayaks to explore caves and hidden lagoons within the bay. Then we changed our boat to have dinner after another swim session. On the second boat we stayed overnight in the Lan Ha Bay with our group: 2 German couples, 2 Dutch girls, a Belgian girl and a French couple. The sunset happened in a quite impressive scenery and we had some beers on the deck with the group before we went to bed in our spacious cabin.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Kayaking
    Rock jumpHa Long BayChristi jumpsHan La BayGroup photo

    Day 9 Ha Long Bay

    October 10, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    We got up at 7:30 AM for breakfast, the only food without rice :-) Pancakes with bananas and honey. Then we kayaked again through the bay - into caves, holes and in hidden lagoons. After that we took swims to small beaches, were snorkeling and were jumping from the boat. The weather changed a little bit, it was not that sunny anymore but still warm. After lunch we left the cabin and the boat was going back to the harbour on Cat Ba island. After the transfer back to Hanoi we met Sarah again who was spontaneously for this night in the city. We had dinner together and chatted until the restaurant closed. Then we went to bed because it was going to be a short night.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Temple
    CyclingIn the hostelJapanese bridgeBeautiful Hoi AnMr. Bup and us

    Day 10 Hoi An

    October 11, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    The night ended already at 4 AM! We left for the airport with a taxi. Then we flew to Da Nang which is a city close to Hoi An in the center of Vietnam. When we arrived in Hoi An we met Eggi&Theresa who came from Ho-Chi-Minh City. We went to the tailor together to treat ourselves with custom tailored shirts and suits - Hoi An is famous for their tailors. Afterwards we strolled through the old town and just as we stopped in a place to drink a beer it was beginning to rain. It was the first rain we saw so far on our trip. Later the day we did a bike tour organized by our hostel. It led us on Cam Kim Island south of Hoi An. The guide showed us a temple, explained a lot of the symbols and how the local people worship their ancestors. Then we had to leave the tour because of an appointment at the tailor. In the evening we enjoyed some beers and free Rum+Coke in the hostel with Eggi&Theresa. For dinner we went to Bup Café which was a recommendation from Joni and it was really worth it. Awesome food and great owner, he is so dedicated to his work: Perfect end of a day although it was raining heavily in between.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    An Bang Beach
    Hotel at the beachScooter timeOn a bridgeRain, rain, rainLast selfie

    Day 11 Hoi An

    October 12, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    After breakfast we rented scooters and met Eggi&Theresa to hit the road. First we drove to An Bang Beach northwest of Hoi An. Driving is quite easy, just use the horn and then you can pass other vehicles. Traffic is less here so it is possible to drive even as beginner. Handling a scooter itself can be a challenge sometimes. At the beach we jumped into the wild sea with big waves. Once we got out of the water we noticed that there was a red flag waving and it was not allowed to swim on that day :-D Later we drove to other beaches and areas. It was raining from time to time and we had to hide from it. On the way back to town Nonni's scooter broke down, so Christi had to carry him. In the afternoon we had a fitting appointment at the tailor. After we were all happy with the result we went on to have a late lunch. It was raining cats and dogs, so we had to run to a restaurant. As it got better we took again the scooters and drove around the town until it got dark. We went for a shopping run and then had dinner. Again it was raining and we had to bridge over the time with a beer until we had to see goodbye to Eggi&Theresa.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Approach to Cam Ranh Airport
    During the taxi ridePizzaStairs in the hostelDancers in the barOur new pal

    Day 12 Hoi An/Da Lat

    October 13, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    The morning after breakfast was very hectic, we had to visit all shops from the day before to fit on the clothes. Nevertheless we made it right on time for the departure to the airport. We flew to Nha Trang, respectively Cam Ranh Airport south of this city and chartered a taxi to Da Lat. After 3 hours we arrived and had dinner. We tried the first pizza in Vietnam, it tasted well but the style was more like American pizza. Then we went to a bar to have a beer, but then we were invited to a table from local guys. They gave us Whisky, beer and fruits - an offer which we couldn't refuse, they were so kind. When they left at around 12 PM we also left and went to our hostel.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    On the bike tour
    Selfie with LionBeautiful landscapeLinh Phuoc PagodaJudgement in hellDinner

    Day 13 Da Lat

    October 14, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    For this day the plan was to do a downhill bike tour in the hills around Da Lat. Originally we wanted to do Canyoning but this and Rafting is closed at the moment (because a Korean man died lately - had a heart attack) and so cycling was the best option. Christi told Lion (our guide) we are experienced and want to have the hardest tour they offer. In fact I never did a downhill tour in my life and I even didn't sit on a Mountainbike since years ;-) What a good tour to start with. It did make fun and the landscape was amazing but I was also scared going down the hills too fast. The parts going up the hills nearly killed me, it was also quite hot and if you are not used to it - that is not the best combination. On the steepest downhill part I also fell off the bike but fortunately only at a small pace. At the end of the tour we visited an impressive pagoda and its cellar where the hell of Buddhism is visualized. Back in the city we went to a night market after having a shower. For dinner the owner of the hostel prepared fresh spring rolls and fried rice. There were also other hostel guests joining and so it was quite nice. We went to bed early because of the exhausting day.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Let's go
    During the hikeOn the topElephant WaterfallThe huge construction siteLadies in the restaurant

    Day 14 Da Lat

    October 15, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    Day 2 in Da Lat: After breakfast another outdoor sports activity was waiting for us. We wanted to hike on the Langbiang mountain. First we rented 2 scooters for the day and drove to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. Then we hiked up to the peak at 2167 metres. It was sunny and at the end the path was very steep, but there was a nice view at the top. Back at the parking lot we drove to the next stop around 30 km away: The Elephant Waterfall. Once we arrived there climbed down to see the waterfall from below, quite impressive. Afterwards we visited the pagoda next to it. It wouldn't have been an interesting one if they were not building a massive Buddha statue, about 70m high! Then we drove back to Da Lat, had a coffee at the Xuan Huong lake and later dinner in a great local BBQ restaurant. At around 9 PM we got picked up by a bus company to bring us to the bus station. In this night we took a sleeping bus to Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon).Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    A tank and a Chinook helicopter
    A poster in front of the museumNotre-Dame cathedralThe operaMe in the tunnelNonni on a devastated tank

    Day 15 Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon)

    October 16, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    In the middle of the night we got waked up by the bus driver because we had already arrived in Ho Chi Minh City which is the former Sai Gon. What to do at around 3 AM? We decided to go to the hostel and wait there until breakfast time and this plan worked out quite well. On our way we met Marta from Poland who was also on the bus. We chatted a while with her and then we tried to sleep on the floor. Later we had breakfast and went to the War Remnants Museum. This museum features some facts from the Vietnam War and mainly the cruelties from the USA. After seeing the Notre Dame cathedral, the opera and other sights we went back to the hostel because we got picked up. We made a tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels of the Vietcong about 60km away. Our guide told a lot about the war strategies during the Vietnam War and showed us the tunnels. We crawled 100m through them ourselves, very exhausting considering the tiny size and the high humidity. After coming back to the city we had dinner at a street food place nearby and then went to bed.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Ben Tanh Market
    A signIn the parkEvening moodFresh spring rolls dinnerSelf made ice cream

    Day 16 Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon)

    October 17, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    On this day we went again into the center of Ho Chi Minh City after breakfast. We went to Ben Tanh Market and to a park. Then we returned to the hostel to catch a grab car to bring us to the bus station. We traveled by bus to Can Tho which is in the Mekong Delta. It was a sleeper bus in the middle of the day, really funny. When we arrived we took a shuttle to our hostel. Then we went to have dinner in city center in a local restaurant - fresh spring rolls again. Afterwards we strolled through the night market and got crepes and fresh made ice cream from strawberries. We returned to the hostel and slept early because we planned to get up early again ;-)Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Mekong River
    A snake!!!In the paradiseOn the scooter againEvening moodKaraoke

    Day 17 Can Tho

    October 18, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    The alarm went off at 5:30 AM because we have booked a Mekong Delta Tour with our guide Linh. First we drove with scooters about 30 minutes to a place where we could enter a boat. Our group was completed by two German couples. We visited a local floating market where farmers and merchants are doing B2B deals. After a while we stopped and had breakfast. Linh told a lot about how the Vietnamese live and about the area. We continued and went through a local market on land with lots of meat, fruits and even snakes. Back on the boat we saw fruit plantations and where pepper comes from. We tried a lot of different fruits during the tour. Then we cruised through the most beautiful area - the "paradise". At around noon the tour was finished and we said goodbye to Linh and her parents. We hopped on a bus to Rach Gia and as we had arrived we went into the town to have dinner. We walked for quite a while and then we found a good grill. Once we finished the food we got invited again by a few locals. They could barely speak English and Google Translator was not a great help. After a some beers we went on to a karaoke place where we spent one hour with this popular Asian activity. Then our new Vietnamese friends drove us back to the hostel by scooters.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Our resort
    Selfie timeThe coastlineOn Lang BeachEco Beach Resort (not ours)Dinner

    Day 18 Phu Quoc

    October 19, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    In the morning we got up and boarded the 8 AM ferry to Phu Quoc. The ride took 2,5 hours and as we arrived on the island we took a shared minivan to our accomodation. When we arrived there we went straight on to the On Lang Beach to meet Matze&Maike which waited for their pickup to the airport. We talked shortly and then they had to leave. Afterwards we had lunch and later we jumped into the ocean and swam to another beach. When we got back to our accomodation it was raining, so we went into our pool. In the evening we had dinner at a local BBQ restaurant. Then we went back and slept.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    In the jungle
    During the hikeScooters crossing the waterFloodingSao BeachChristi on the swing

    Day 19 Phu Quoc

    October 20, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    We got up, had breakfast and then we rented scooters again. First we wanted to visit the National Park on the island. About 50% of the territory is protected by it. As it had rained a lot in these days the way was very muddy and sometimes washed away. It was crazy to drive there, but we managed to arrive at a hiking path after some kilometres. We hiked for quite a while, then we continued our way by scooter. The next plan was to drive to a waterfall in the East, but there were lots of floodings on the street. We crossed one, but at the end it was too much. We decided to go south to the Sao Beach - also called Star Beach. There we walked along the coastline and enjoyed the sunny day. Once back at the resort we jumped into the pool and later we had dinner. After that we bought some fruits as dessert again like we did the day before, they are delicious.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    Skyscrapers
    Cafes and barsIn our rooftop poolSai Gon from aboveIn the party streetCrowd

    Day 20 Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon)

    October 21, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    We had to get up very early to get to the airport of Phu Quoc, at 7:40 AM was our flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When we arrived we dropped our baggage at the accomodation and went into downtown. Again it was very hot so we were just hanging ourselves from supermarket to shopping mall to get pleasant temperatures. For lunch we went to a coffee place to drink something and eat Banh Mi. Then we could check in to our quite stylish apartment in a big building with a pool on the rooftop. Therefore we went into the rooftop pool directly with a view over the city. After a while we returned into the flat. We went to have dinner in the city and afterwards we were up the Bitexco tower in a bar where we had a cocktail and enjoyed the view over the city. Later we went to Bui Vien which is the party street of Sai Gon. We had a couple of beers and walked through the busy street. Late night we returned to the flat.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    The Bitexco tower
    LunchMarketSingapore Airport

    Day 21 Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon)

    October 22, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    We slept late and packed our luggage until we had to check out at Noon. It was already the last day of our trip! How fast the time went by. We had lunch in a local restaurant and then walked through a market. Later we rested in a coffee place because it was really hot and humid again. After a while we returned to the flat and picked up our luggage. It was time to get to the airport and to leave Vietnam. The first flight to Singapore was short and normal. There should have been a two hour waiting time until the next long flight back to Zurich. But unfortunately this flight was delayed for around 2 hours, so we had to wait in the middle of the night. After all flights went well during this trip there had to be a problem at the last one - of course. But then finally we could board the A380.Read more

  • Vietnam 2018
    During the flight
    View down to the alpesAbove the clouds

    Day 22 Zurich

    October 23, 2018 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    The flight itself was normal. Singapore Airlines is a really good airline and everything was working well - besides the delay of course. But we were lucky and managed to catch our Flixbus to Friedrichshafen which was prebooked. When we reached the border to Germany the police checked the bus and the people which took forever. Once the bus continued its way we got to Friedrichshafen where Christi was splitting from our group. We said goodbye and then Nonni and me took the next train back home. That was the end of our vacation. Thanks guys, it was a pleasure - to be continued :-)Read more

    Trip end
    October 23, 2018
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