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Martin HammerschmidtMartin Hammerschmidt
SatelitSunting laluan
Explorer and traveller at heart with 50+ countries visited so far. About to embark on the biggest adventure of my lifetime to see the world and ‘live a little’ 😉 Baca lagi London, United Kingdom
  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Hari 102–113

    Vang Vieng - Views, Lagoons, Action

    23 Januari, Laos ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    After a short plane ride from Hanoi to Vientiane, I took a 50 minute train ride to Vang Vieng. The brand-new train, built by the Chinese is, in all honesty, more modern than anything I have seen in Germany or the UK - really does not fit into Laos. Big digital displays, very clean, security like at the airport, 150km/h fast and, most importantly, on time. In other words, I left Hanoi at 7am and arrived in Vang Vieng at around 3pm.

    The next few days, I decided to slow down after a quite fast-paced journey through Vietnam the last 5 weeks. The weather was also not forecast to be sunny. Regardless, I went to town (nothing special, really), did a little photoshoot in lush rice fields and explored a blue lagoon.

    After a few days, the sun showed up with blue skies and 30 degrees - exactly what l was waiting for. The first day of sunshine, a few friends I made in the hostel and I went to swim and jump in a blue lagoon before doing a short hike to a viewpoint that had a Pegasus and an airplane up there (don't ask me how they got them up there).

    The next day, a few people at the hostel and I went tubing down the river with drinks, stopping at a bar to have a little party and restock for the final part of tubing. That was fun.

    The following day, it was time to go paragliding with a motor attached at the back. With blue skies, I was strapped into the seat and the 'pilot' took off at 5pm for what was a short but amazing 15 minute flight over Vang Vieng. It felt a bit wobbly up there, which definitely pumped some adrenaline through my veins. This paired with a beautiful view of the town, a sun that was starting to set and rising hot air balloons was simply an incredible experience.

    The day after, a friend that I met all the way back in Hoi An and I hired a scooter and drove out of town to Blue Lagoon 4. There, we lounged in the sun or in a floating tube and took advantage of the small zipline and swing with which we jumped into the water. In the afternoon, I went to do a sunset hike by myself to go see the viewpoint that had a Buggy on top of it. Up there, the views of the surrounding mountains/limestones were stunning and I had the entire viewpoint all to myself - the definition of a hidden gem.

    On the last day, the two of us rose up early in the morning to do Vang Vieng's most famous hike up the Nam Xay viewpoint, which has two motorcycles on top of it. Getting up there for sunrise was the right decision. Not many people up there, and the view might have been one of the most beautiful I have seen in my life. The sun peeking out behind the mountain, the colourful hot air balloons rising in the distance, the fog lingering on the ground - and me on the motorcycle. It was spectacular.

    Then it was time to leave Vang Vieng. What I will remember about this place - next to the amazing viewpoints and paramotor - was that I had time to reflect on my travel I had done so far and what is still to come. And l felt filled with a sense of adventure, of looking forward to what is next, the taste of freedom and the excitement to hit the open road again to explore more of this beautiful world. It very consciously felt like traveling, like going on that big adventure that i have dreamed about for years. Like happiness.    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Hari 102

    Goodbye Vietnam - You Are Incredible

    23 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    After a bit more than 5 weeks, it was time to say goodbye to Vietnam. What will stay with me in particular is the exceptional natural beauty - especially in the north of the country (i.e. Ha Giang Loop, Ninh Binh, Phong Nha). The other magical place was incredible Hoi An with its thousands of colourful lanterns, cute coffee shops and warm atmosphere.

    The food is really worth the hype as I felt it was much more diverse than in Cambodia. The people are more direct/passive-aggressive, in my view. The interaction I will always remember is the following:
    On our street food tour in Hanoi, we went to a little restaurant. We were given the menu and our guide was recommending us some dishes to try. Once we decided, she basically shouted the order across the whole restaurant to the waitress. The waitress then shouted it across the street where it was prepared. No foot was moved in the entire process until we got our food.

    My fellow traveler, Amy, also made the journey through Vietnam memorable, as she was always in good spirits, ready to go on adventures and experience the country, its people and culture together. It was sad to have to say goodbye to her!

    So where does that leave Vietnam for me? It is a place I will definitely come back to, as over the last 5 weeks, I learned of lots more places that looked incredible and that I want to experience: The Ban Gioc Waterfall, do an overnight adventure in Phong Nha, live the magic of Hoi An again, bike the Hai Van pass, go trekking in Sapa, do an overnight homestay in the Mekong Delta to properly experience local life, etc.

    It has a plethora of things to do, but I will make sure I will go in Vietnam's summer - as it got quite cold and cloudy in the north. With that, I say “Cam On“ (thank you) Vietnam and see you next time 👋🇻🇳

    Let’s go to Laos 🇱🇦    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    121
    Hari 96–100

    Cat Ba Island - Cruise, Spa And Hike

    17 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    After the amazing adventure of the Ha Giang Loop, we took a loooong 11.5h overnight sleeper bus journey to Cat Ba Islands, which is nestled in Lan Ha Bay (right next to the famous Ha Long Bay). As we arrived at 6.30am and still somewhat exhausted from the loop and the bus journey, we took it slow and planned our next 2 days on the island.

    The next day, we went to the Flamingo Hotel. For $12, we got an ice cream, 30 minutes of Kayak, access to an exclusive beach, a free beer and snacks at the rooftop terrace, tokens to play some arcade games, pool access and, most importantly, access to their Japanese Onsen Spa (few pools/jacuzzis heated up to 43 degrees, plus steam room and sauna).

    As it was a sunny day, we spend some time on the beach before going to their rooftop overlooking beautiful Lan Ha Bay. After playing some fun arcade games, we relaxed in the Onsen (men and women separated), which both of us had completely to ourselves.

    The next day, we made a few friends over breakfast, hired a scooter and hiked up to a viewpoint overlooking Cat Ba Island. It was a short but medium-though hike that got our blood pumping. In the afternoon, we went back to the Flamingo Hotel and did pretty much the same as the day before, although this time without the Onsen.

    For our last two days in the area (and time together), we booked an overnight cruise in Lan Ha Bay. Once we arrived in our private cabin, we quickly went to the upper deck, did a little photoshoot and enjoyed the views over this fantastic piece of earth. It was a perfect time, as the sun peaked out, inducing us to lounge on the deck.

    After an hour or so, it was time to take a small boat to a nearby beach to play some beach volleyball and just soak in the scenery. It was not the nicest beach, unfortunately, and the sun stopped shining. Thus, once back on the boat, we hopped into the jacuzzi to warm up. The rest of the evening involved a delicious dinner, lots of dancing, and long conversations about our 5 weeks in Vietnam, as this was our last stop in the country (more on that in the next post).

    On our last day, Amy took it easy in the morning, while I took the opportunity and kayaked a little bit in Lan Ha Bay. The peace and quiet in the morning, when the only thing you hear is nature was a perfect end to our cruise and Vietnam adventures.    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    2
    Hari 95

    The Ha Giang Loop - Day 3 (Perfect End)

    16 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Day 3 started a touch earlier than the other two days, as we had c.180km of distance to cover (from Dong Van all the way back to Ha Giang). That did not mean we would drive without multiple stops to take in some more fantastic views. The stops were also much needed as we would start to seriously feel our butts on these bikes and bumpy roads.

    Anyway, most of our drivers were on time. Amy's driver seemed to have had a tough night and showed up a bit later. Once the crew was assembled, we were hitting the road. The weather was again with us in the morning and the music and mood was joyous.

    Our second stop might have been among the most awe-inspiring viewpoints on the whole loop, even though yesterday was tough to beat. However, looking down from up top into a deep and narrow canyon that is divided by a long lake was incredible.

    Shortly afterwards, the paved road was not that paved anymore and we drove on more hard but sandy grounds through what looked like a big mining project. A few more stops later we had lunch, after which the weather situation slightly worsened and the much-hated, but very practical rain ponchos came out. To be fair, they are very useful and keep you dry and warm, but they look absolutely ridiculous.

    From that point on, most of the way was similar to the one we drove on the first day, so we quickly covered as much ground as possible and arrived back at Mama's Homestay at around 5pm. After a quick shower, we ordered some well-deserved pizza and reflected on the truly amazing last three days on the Ha Giang Loop.

    As I said earlier, my expectations were sky-high given everyone I had met and done the loop said it was the best thing. After having done it, I have to admit that it really is brilliant. Not just the views, which are otherworldly, but also the comradery in the group and with the drivers, the parties in the evening, the Happy Water, the driving, and so on... To everyone that goes to northern Vietnam, I can only wholeheartedly recommend doing the loop. It was freaking amazing.    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    21
    Hari 94

    The Ha Giang Loop - Day 2 (Views!!!)

    15 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    After a night of partying and lots of Happy Water shots, we set off at 9am for a 83km drive that would bring us up close to the Chinese border. It would turn out to probably be the best day on the loop as the views behind every corner just got better and better.

    But first things first. The forecast was for slight rain, so most of the group put on their ponchos, but Amy and I had hope and did not want to look too ridiculous. Anyway, after about 45 minutes, we drove up a series of curvy roads to our first viewpoint. Looking down on the roads that we had just driven a few minutes ago was spectacular - the misty clouds hanging in the mountains added to a mysterious backdrop.

    After the second viewpoint of the day, we unfortunately encountered some drizzle as we drove straight into the clouds. Putting on the poncho was a serious consideration.
    However, as we drove further north, the rain became less and less and once it stopped the sun even managed to peak out. So ponchos were fortunately not necessary.

    Just before lunch, we arrived in Lung Cu, Vietnam's most northern city/town and located close to the Chinese border. We hiked up the flagpole for great views over the surroundings and a peak into China. However, after lunch, we headed much closer to the border and with views that were simply stunning. Carved into a deep valley on the Chinese side was a huge zick-zack path surrounded by steep mountains. It was a truly spectacular sight.

    We thought this would have been the best view of the day, but as we drove closer to our overnight destination, we encountered some serious contenders. The mountains in northern Vietnam with its lush green and dramatic mountain sides flowing into large valleys are a sight to behold. And we were driving with quite some speed and no guardrails only a meter or so away from these abysses - it was so much fun!

    On the final stretch, we drove down the valley to Dong Van, our overnight accommodation.
    Once we arrived and had dinner, the Happy Water shots came out again in full force. What started civilised turned into a big party with almost everyone dancing on the table and cheering with Happy Water.

    In short, Day 2 was truly amazing - dramatic views, a spectacular drive and an unforgettable experience. At the end of the day I came to the conclusion that the hype was definitely justified - the Ha Giang Loop should most definitely be included on any Vietnam itinerary!    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    12
    Hari 93

    The Ha Giang Loop - Day 1 (Great Intro)

    14 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After a few days in Hanoi, Amy and I headed to the very north of Vietnam to do the Ha Giang Loop. Every traveler I met so far and who had done the Loop was raving about it, saying it was by far the best thing they did in Vietnam. Thus my expectations were sky-high.

    In the morning, we got all the logistics sorted and left on the bikes at 9.45am for a 3 days/2 nights adventure. The weather was cloudy, cold (it is Vietnam's winter after all) but dry, which was the most important.

    We opted to do the loop as Easy Riders, meaning we sat at the back of our bikes, while a driver (my driver's name was Vanjam) would navigate us around the loop. This way, we could fully take in the breathtaking views and not having to concentrate on what are considered to be Vietnam's most dangerous roads. Our group consisted of 8 people - all easy riders - plus our drivers.

    During our roughly 5h drive (105km from Ha Giang to Yen Minh), we stopped multiple times at some fantastic viewpoints and villages, had a great group lunch and generally took in the lush and green landscape.

    We were amazed by the scale of some of the rice terraces and how they were scattered all over the mountains. No pictures or videos do the vast valleys and mountains we drove through justice. The weather was also kind with only a brief spell of cold drizzle, but also a brief spell of warm sunshine.

    Once we arrived at our homestay in the afternoon, it was time to relax, stretch those butt muscles and get to know our fellow travelers and drivers a bit more. Then, at dinner, the drivers brought out Ha Giang's (in)famous drink: Happy Water. It is a type of rice wine and luckily not too strong in this part of the country (around 14-18% alcohol). However, the happy water kept on flowing the whole evening and with some music, stories and dancing, we were all a it tipsy. And with that, we concluded a brilliant first day on the loop.

    At this point, I was thinking to myself: maybe all those other travellers do indeed have a point and it is the best thing to do in Vietnam. Let's see if that opinion would be further underpinned by Day 2.    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    2
    Hari 89–92

    Hanoi - Buzzing With Amazing Street Food

    10 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After spending the past few weeks in nature or only smaller towns, it was time to hit Hanoi, Vietnam's vibrant capital. We stayed in a small Airbnb right in the middle of the buzzing and historic Old Quarter, which is the beating heart of the city.

    However, once we arrived in the late afternoon, we spent our first evening just outside the Old Quarter - on Train Street. Train Street is a narrow alley with train tracks running right through apartment blocks and countless cafes. A few times a day, an actual train is still driving through the street, literally centimeters away from people sitting at their cafe tables.

    We picked a spot on the 2nd floor with some smoothies and watched the train pass by - it was quite spectacular to see a train this up-close. Afterwards, we took the opportunity and walked on the tracks and took a few quite amazing pictures and videos.

    The next day, we took it rather easy as the weather was not ideal (drizzling for most of the day). Nonetheless, we strolled through and explored life in the Old Quarter. What striked us the most was the sheer amount of little street stalls selling all kinds of food that we had and still have no idea what they were. We also went to a little local cafe to try egg coffee that originated here in Hanoi - it’s actually quite nice! In the afternoon, we opted to take a Free Walking Tour through the Old Quarter to learn more about the history of this area and Vietnam customs and traditions. We also visited the wet and dry market (i.e. alive/dead animals), which made us realise that the standard of animal welfare in Europe is definitely higher.

    On our second and last full day in Hanoi, we visited the Government area, i.e. the mausoleum of Ho Chi Min (the guy who beat the Americans and reunited Vietnam), the parliament, etc. As the weather was again not quite on our side, we also made a stop at the well-known, even if quite touristy, NoteCafe, before opting to learn more about the various dishes we saw over the last two days by going on a Free Street Food Tour (we sampled own-rolled spring rolls, dry Pho, bamboo sticky rice, fermented pork, and some desert that I forgot).

    That wrapped up a good couple of days in Hanoi. The weather wasn't great (bit wet and cold) and we hope that our next stop, the Ha Giang Loop, will be a bit more pleasant    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    12
    Hari 86–88

    Ninh Binh - Serenity With Stunning Views

    7 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The next stop on our Vietnam adventures brought us to Ninh Binh/Tam Coc. The surrounding area is known for its breathtaking landscape, also referred to as 'Ha Long Bay on land'.

    With the overnight bus, we arrived at 4.30am and got a few more hours of sleep on a sunlounger before our room was ready. Once settled in, we hired some bikes and explored the surroundings and got a first glimpse at the massive limestone mountains that the area is famous for. We also paid a visit to a pagoda that was nestled into a mountainside and stretched over multiple levels. To finish the day off, we went to a cat cafe as Amy is obsessed with cats (I am rather indifferent, so I mainly enjoyed the views - not of the cats).

    Day 2 was the big one and included activities that I was most looking forward to. We hired a scooter, met up with a few fellow travellers we met in Hoi An and headed to Trang An National Park. There, we hopped on a boat with which we rode along the waterways and among the limestones for the next 2.5h.

    The scenery was simply breathtaking, as on the way we paddled through caves (one was 1km long), visited a few temples/pagodas by the water and simply enjoyed awe-inspiring views. It was quiet and peaceful and the only sound came from the paddles and the nature surrounding us. Behind every corner was a new photo opportunity, but sometimes it was best to just put the phone away and enjoy the beauty of the moment.

    After the boat ride, the next highlight was already waiting for us - a climb up the Mua Cave mountain for some incredible sunset views. The 500 steps up were certainly worth the effort.

    The Mua Cave mountain actually has two viewpoints and we went up the lower one first. After taking in the views, we went to the second viewpoint and stayed there for a fair bit to watch a colourful sun setting between the omnipresent limestones. It really was a perfect end to the day that I was looking very much forward to. The scenery and views certainly fulfilled all expectations and then some.

    On the third day, Amy and I hopped back on the scooters and explored Vietnam's ancient capital Hoa Lu (from 968-1010) and a nearby lake that we almost had to ourselves.
    Afterwards, we ate some Banh Mi Chao (a baguette with the ingredients not stuffed inside, but sizzling on a pan) before getting ready to say goodbye to Ninh Binh the following day.    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    1
    Hari 84–85

    Phong Nha - Caves and Ducks

    5 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The next stop going north was Phong Nha, Vietnam's adventure capital. The activity to do here is exploring the countless and stunning caves in the area.

    So that is what I did the next day. While Amy took a day to rest and recharge, I joined a full day tour to first go see the Paradise Cave followed by the Dark Cave.

    Although I am not the biggest fan of caves, the Paradise Cave was truly spectacular. The sheer size of it, plus the massive stalagmites and stalactites were breathtaking. It was a massive cave - 31km long. We only explored 1km, but that already gave me a good little insight into what the rest of the cave could look like. That first kilometer had a proper infrastructure set up to walk through the cave with lights everywhere - there is also an option to go 6-7km deep into the cave with only a head torch and no infrastructure.

    It is difficult to put into words, but Paradise Cave was really amazing. I can only recommend! Never been in a cave like this before.

    After the cave and a quick lunch, I headed to the Dark Cave, which is more of an action-packed place. This time, there was no infrastructure and the only light came from the head torches on our helmets. Bare feet, we walked on the muddy floor, through cold-ish water that reached our shoulders and made our way through some dark alleys in the cave. All for this: a mud bath.

    Once there, we covered ourselves in the mineral-rich mud. We also turned our lamps off and remained quiet for a minute to just take in the sounds and smell of the cave! It was a great experience.

    Once out of the cave, we kayaked back and finished off with grabbing a handle, ziplining over the water and then just let go and falling into the water.

    The next day, Amy and I hired some bikes to go explore a local village and feed some ducks, which we have heard is a surreal but cool experience. The cycle ride through the local village was wholesome and some kids stopped us and wanted to practice their English - we happily complied. Then came the ducks. I have to say, one of the strangest, but funniest experiences I have had. We were a bit nervous to feed hundreds of ducks straight out of our hand and from between our feet and legs, but it turned out to be super fun. Amy could not stop laughing (watch the video!). So much fun!
    田    Baca lagi

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  • PengembaraNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Hari 82–83

    Hue - Vietnam‘s Royal History

    3 Januari, Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    After the magic of Hoi An, we headed 3-4h north to the city of Hue. Hue used to be Vietnam's old capital between 1802-1945, when it was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors - this is also the reason why many Vietnamese people have Nguyen as their last name. The food scene here is also unique and nicely presented, due to its royal history.

    Anyway, we had 2 days here and on the first day, we dug right into the royal history with a tour through the city. We had a total of 7x stops and the royal stops were the most impressive.

    We started off by visiting the residency and working place of the emperors at the stunning Citadel that also includes the beautiful Imperial and Forbidden City. After getting some interesting info from our tour guide about Vietnam's royal past, we wandered around the Citadel and basically got lost among its old buildings that were decorated with quite some detailed ornaments.

    The other two royal stops that we both liked were the royal tombs of the 2nd and 12th emperor. Sometimes it is hard to believe that they build these massive structures and complexes just for one dead guy. But well, that's life for some apparently.

    The other stops included a beautiful pagoda overlooking the river, taking a leisurely dragon boat ride on the river that runs through the city, visiting an old garden house, and finishing off the day on a little mountain that offers nice, but not spectacular views. We also did one more stop at a village that makes incense sticks and I had a go at trying to make one - failed miserably to be honest, so definitely not a career option for me.

    On our second day (½ day), we opted to visit an abandoned waterpark at a nearby lake. It was build in 2004, but closed a couple of years later. Since then, nature has taken over. A scary-looking dragon sits in the middle of the lake and is truly impressive. We walked up and visited its mouth, before taking a few pictures in and around it (there is an old car and some abandoned waterslides, too).

    After that, it was time to say goodbye to Hue and just like that, we were on our way to Phong Nha, the caving capital of Vietnam.    Baca lagi

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