Our last stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh City, previously named Saigon, former capital, and the country’s most populated metropolitan area. The first day was spent learning about the city’s rich and turbulent history, while the second took us to the lush tropical forests along the Mekong River. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Vietnam and our time there was eye-opening and enlightning. Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh reminded me of how I felt about Shanghai vs Beijing. One, felt more culturally vibrant and young, while the other more proper and bureaucratic.

Day 1

The day began with a trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, just outside of Ho Chi Minh City. These tunnels played a vital part during the Vietnam war for guerrilla fighters against US soldiers. The tunnel network was built with multiple levels and at times went deep into the Earth. Viet Cong soldiers lived in the tunnels during the day and at times would be forced to stay underground for days during heavy bombing above. Today, part of the Cu Chi tunnel network has been preserved and turned into a war memorial park. Walking through the forest, our guide showed us perfectly camouflaged entrances, where tourists were invited to enter and explore the tunnels themselves. I would not recommend going in for anyone even slightly claustrophobic. The tunnels were dark and cramped. We only went through a short distance (5-10 meters), that was well-maintained and it was a daunting experience. In the forest, we also saw craters left by bombing and the many traps Viet Cong soldiers would set up using salvaged scraps and metal.

Lunch was at a Vietnamese restaurant and included spring rolls, a couple of meat dishes, fried rice and a braised tofu. Our guide brought us to the restaurant, which clearly catered to tourists with English menu and Western utensils. Seasoning leaned towards sweet sauces and there was no spice. Portions were filling and I did enjoy the flavours, but I would have also been happy with more local fare. In fact, on our way out, we noticed street stalls serving up bowls of pho and I almost convinced The Hubby to have “second lunch”. Almost, but not quite.

We spent the afternoon visiting the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame and Post Office. To be honest, I found the perspective provided by the War Remnants Museum interesting but biased. Many of the exhibits emphasized the brutality of the Vietnam war, which was a harsh reality to stomach. Growing up in North America, with an Chinese cultural background, I left feeling conflicted but with a desire to learn more. Notre Dame and the Post Office were lovely examples of French architecture that remains today.

From our hotel, The Hubby and I found our way to the Ben Thanh Market to enjoy a dinner of fire grilled shrimp and cold beer. The outdoor market was half shopping, half food and exactly the kind of street food I love. Menus were available in English and servers peeled the shrimp for you. Tables were filled with locals and tourists alike enjoying a wide assortment of stir fries and grilled seafood. On our way home, we grabbed a bag of mangosteen, the biggest and ripest we had during our trip. Our hotel actually specified that mangosteen were not permitted in rooms, so we ate a couple at the market and the rest during our walk back.

Day 2

Day 2 was more tropical as we headed to the Mekong delta for a boat tour along the river and into the jungles. We visited rural villages and sipped tea with fresh honey. We rose a hand-rowed sampan from one islet to another to sample fresh tropical fruits like pineapple, jackfruit and dragonfruit. I admit with the fruit, I was worried about cleanliness but couldn’t politely decline. I was ok, The Hubby had some stomach pains that night.

On our way to lunch via boat, it poured. Wind combined with our velocity and lack of cover meant I was soaked through by the time we arrived at the restaurant. The warm weather allowed us to partially dry as we ate. The main entree of our meal was a whole grilled fish, made into rice paper wraps at the table. Rounding out the meal were crispy, thin, pita chips and banh xeo.

After lunch, we visited a village that made coconut candy by hand and the thunderstorms continued. The day ended early and The Hubby and I returned to Ben Thanh night market to pick up souvenirs and enjoy one more meal of fresh grilled seafood.

Overall, I enjoyed Day 1’s activities more, but I’m a city girl and the rain on day 2 dampened the experience of walking through tropical forests.

Vietnam was a beautiful country that’s still a burgeoning tourist destination for North Americans. Most of the tourists we met were from Australia or Europe. I really enjoyed the food in Hanoi, the stunning cruise through Halong Bay was unforgettable and the history of Ho Chi Minh humbling.

No visit to Vietnam would be complete without a cruise along Halong Bay’s calm, crystal clear, turquoise waters. Featuring thousands of limestone isles, the two days we spent floating through the bay was unforgettable. Our room on the ship had a large double bed and a sitting area in front of floor to ceiling windows. We could take in the stunning view at any time.

We arrived on the boat around noon and was greeted by a lunch buffet of fresh Vietnamese fare. All food during the cruise was included, however drinks were not. The lunch spread had plump shrimp, rice paper rolls, satay skewers, curry and fried rice. I was happy with both the selection and fresh ingredients. That afternoon, we ventured out onto the water to visit the floating fishing village and spent time swimming and kayaking in the water, which was surprisingly warm. At the floating village, we boarded paddle boats that were operated by the villagers and only by women. On the water, without any shade, the sun was roasting.

Before dinner, a hands on cooking class was held on the top-deck, where most guests had gathered to watch the sunset. For dinner, we were treated to a multi course meal starting with spring rolls and oysters. One of the after dinner activities was squid fishing, which The Hubby was excited about. Compared to our experience in Hong Kong though, that evening was much more leisurely. Instead of looking for squid, I was distracted by the giant jellyfish.

The water in Halong Bay was so calm, we barely noticed the current. Even The Hubby, who easily gets motion sickness felt fine. Our second cruise day started with a hot bowl of pho and a bahn mi sandwich before exploring Halong Bay’s caves. The crew of Pelican Cruise were professional and friendly. They did announce drink specials at the bar throughout the night, but I didn’t feel any pressure to spend more.

I loved every minute of our time in Halong Bay and the photos speak for themselves.

Hanoi is famed for their street food. Walking through old town,I was drooling at all the fried foods and pots of boiling broth. The vendors were also serious, sometimes packing their entire setup on a bicycle to get around. Setup including the normal plastic stools and tables, but also stoves, pots and pails of ingredients. Our guide took us on a night tour through Hanoi’s streets and into hidden cafes to visit the spots where locals go.

Chicken Pho – Unlike in North America where beef pho reigns supreme, Hanoi’s preferred protein was chicken, which turned out to be 10x more flavourful than 99% of the broths I’ve had in Toronto (except of Pho Dau Bo!). Another regional difference was just how much lime juice they use, and the little wedges were so fragrant. Adding the sharp acidity to the broth really made the flavours pop. The first bowl of pho we had was topped with hand-shredded chicken and fresh chives. Despite the sweltering weather, The Hubby and I both slurped up the hot broth, wiping sweat in between bites.

Banh Mi – Banh Mi sandwich stalls were located on almost every block. Our tour guide brought us to one setup in an alleyway with a long line and we split a sandwich filled with pickled vegetables and various meats. The sandwich was good, but the best Banh Mi we had in Vietnam was at Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City. That sandwich was filled with 6 different kinds of meat including pate, terrine and pork floss. Locals picked up sandwiches by the dozen and some were even dropped off by taxi to wait in line.

Beef Pho – We did try the beef pho in Hanoi and the chicken was far superior. Our guide explained that chicken was much more accessible in Vietnam than beef, but many North American tourists are only used to beed. The bowl was served with a plate of fried dough fritters and sliced chili peppers. Again, our guide recommended generous squeeze of lime juice and then to dip the fritters in the broth. Broth soaked fritters were the best part of the meal.

Wormwood Egg Omelette – Made with fresh wormwood leaves and eggs, a lady fried up the omelette for us using a propane camper stove. The eggs had a strong natural taste that heavy in yolk. I couldn’t really make out the flavour of the wormwood, which should have been bitter, but I only tasted a hint of liquorice.

Vietnamese Egg Coffee – Made with whipped egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and coffee, the espresso cup sized drink was a creamy dream. We enjoyed the coffee at one of Hanoi’s famed hidden rooftop cafes. Walking through a souvenir shop to the space in between buildings, we climbed up 4 flights of a narrow, winding staircase that led to a rooftop terrace with a stunning view of Hoan Kiem Lake lit by the neon signs of buildings around us. The thick froth was sweet and the coffee was strong. Watching the sun set over the lake was a great way to spend the evening.

Swan Pho – Our last stop of the night was one more bowl of pho. Originally, our guide wanted to bring us to a duck pho street stall but evert plastic stool was taken. Plan B was swan pho. We sat down at a table on the street as the vendor assembled our order. The swan tasted gamier than chicken and closer to duck. There was a big chunk of blood included that was savoury but mild. The broth’s key flavour was bamboo, which I loved. IF you like bamboo, I would highly recommend stopping by (although I wouldn’t be able to find the stall again on my own).

In addition to pho and banh mi, Hanoi has a variety of delicious street foods to offer. I’d recommend being adventurous and to give exotic ingredients a chance.

After Bali, the next part of our honeymoon was a 14 day tour through South East Asia. We booked a private, customized tour through Laos Tour Packages, a company that my in-laws have used before. Our itinerary took us through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, with 4 star accommodations in each city, a private driver and local tour guide. The package included all airfare in between cities, from Bali to Hanoi and from Bangkok to Hong Kong (where we were flying back to Toronto from).

This was my first experience with a tour package, and while the days were full, having the planning and research taken care of for this part of our honeymoon was a true stress reliever at a hectic time in life. We gave the tour company an idea of what kind of trip we were looking for (first time visitor, interested in food) and they put together an initial itinerary. We could then veto or add sights and attractions if we wanted to. Most days ran from morning to late afternoon with breakfast at the hotel and lunch at a local restaurant. We explored the cities on our own during the evenings and for dinner.

We arrived in Hanoi in the evening, and a representative from the tour company met us at the airport with our local tour guide and driver to bring us to the hotel. The SUV was comfortable, and again, most importantly, air conditioned. After helping us check-in, we bid our farewells and set a meeting time for the next day (9am). For dinner, The Hubby and I went down the street, to grab our first bowl of pho from a tiny shop recommended by the hotel front desk. This would remain one of the best bowls of pho we had the entire trip.

Our first day in Hanoi was a tour of the city that included visiting the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, the Museum of Ethnology, a cyclo tour through the Old Quarter and a watching a Water Puppet Show. A packed schedule like this would become the norm for the next 13 days. I learned a lot about Vietnam’s turbulent history, much more than I knew before and from a perspective not common in Western culture, that was at times uncomfortable.

My favourite stop was the Temple of Literature, which felt like a calm oasis in the middle of the busy city, a snapshot in time. After walking through the serene gardens, we had lunch at KOTO on Van Mieu, located close by. The restaurant was run by KOTO, a non-profit organization with the aim to teach disadvantaged and impoverished youth English, cooking and hospitality skills. These skills allow KOTO (Know One, Teach One) graduates to find jobs and support themselves, moving out of poverty.

In addition to being a good cause, lunch at KOTO was delicious. We ate the set menu that had rice paper rolls, shredded chicken salad, duck, soup, vegetables and a stir fried beef. Our table was overflowing with plates. Each course featured fresh ingredients and plenty of colourful vegetables, mildly seasoned letting the natural flavours shine through. I love getting my fill of vegetables while travelling, a typically difficult task.

Menus were in English and service friendly. No one’s English was perfect, but we didn’t have any issues ordering iced Vietnamese coffee with some repetition and hand gestures. Lunch was satisfying and re-fueled us for the afternoon.