Vietnam is a southeast Asian country known for its beaches, rivers, pagodas and the bustling cities. There are so many tourist places all over the country and moreover travelling in this country is so cheap compared to other Asian countries. Despite being cheap and safe, the country is not so popular like its counterparts Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand. Best time to travel Vietnam is in the spring ie, March to April or September to November. Though the official currency of Vietnam is Vietnamese Dong (VND), the USD is equally or more often accepted everywhere right from paying to the visa at the Airport. (if your county is in the list of Visa on arrival for Vietnam).

The official language is Vietnamese and very few people manage to speak english in major cities like Hanoi and Ho chi Minh. Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam.

Hanoi:

Hanoi, has many tourist attractions and the most important is Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of this country has left an indelible mark on Vietnamese history and is popularly known as “Uncle Ho” by locals and his preserved body is now laid to rest in a glass case in this Mausoleum.

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The Turtle lake or Hoan Kiem lake is another popular spot among the locals and tourists and is located in the centre of Hanoi. Ngoc Son temple is on a small island in the centre of the lake and linked by a bridge. The lake area is a popular hangout spot for both locals and tourists. During evening this area becomes busy with joggers or people enjoying the relaxing time across the lake and street food vendors. There is a fee of VND 20,000 if you want to visit the temple but to hang out around the lake is free of cost.

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The other places to visit in Hanoi is perfume pagoda, Temple of literature, Dong Xuan market, One pillar pagoda. Hanoi old quarter is a fascinating area of the city where tourists can enjoy fine examples of colonial architecture packed along narrow streets.

Hanoi Old Quarter is a fascinating area of the city where visitors can enjoy many fine examples of colonial architecture packed along narrow streets. Endless packs of scooters, motorbikes, bicycles and cars weave around traders selling fruit and souvenirs and narrow shop houses sell delicious Vietnamese food for pennies. The Old Quarter brings to life what many people imagine Hanoi to be, and exploring this area on foot is highly recommended for all visitors to experience the life of locals at Hanoi.

In Vietnam, French baguettes and coffee have something very much in common with pho rice noodles as the locals consume them in massive amounts daily, so they’re sold everywhere. Food choices in general are good and dishes come at cheap to affordable prices no matter where you prefer to dine. Old quarter is also famous for shopping and night life.

The interesting place of Hanoi is ‘train street’, located in the Old Quarter, just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. For the outsider like me, it seems like an extraordinary place to live, but for the localites that reside on this small stretch of track, it is their home. This place is just around the old quarter and a 30 minute walk from the turtle lake.

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The train passes through this route twice a day at 3.30 pm and 7.30 pm. I recommend getting there early but make sure that you are in a safe spot for when the train passes. The train isn’t likely to stop if you are caught in the middle of the track when it passes. Getting a cool selfie isn’t worth the chance of death. Staying at the old quarters is highly recommended as you can explore above said places by foot or by renting a bike. Old quarter is the most happening place in Hanoi and also for the nightlife. Overall you can cover all the sightseeing places in 3 to 4 days.

Sapa:

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And then I moved to Sapa a small mountain in Lao cai province. It is around 350 Kms from Hanoi and can be easily reached by sleeper bus. Bus is the convenient and cheapest mode of transport to travel in Vietnam. The train fares are bit expensive compared to buses. The bus fare can go high if you are travelling in holidays or during the festivals. When i went to Vietnam in Feb, the whole country was celebrating Tet festival (New year). Since it is a major festival in Vietnam I ended up paying double than the normal fare even for accomodation or for the bus fare. But it was worth it as you get to see celebrations everywhere and in almost all the cities. And the draw back is I did not get anything to eat as all the shops were closed for three days.

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The country’s highest peak Fan Si pan is 19kms from Sapa and also one of the primary attraction. These days, Sapa welcomes a diverse range of visitors, attracted by the highland tribes, iconic rice paddies and forest treks. The whole area is blessed with awe-inspiring natural beauty.

The attraction in Sapa is trekking and hiking to Cat Cat village and Ta phin Village. The Bac Ha Market and Coc Ly Market are good alternatives for those who want to experience shopping the way locals do without being dampened by commercialisation. If you want to visit these Tribal markets, you should book a day tour from a travel agent in town.  Every Sunday, the different hill tribes that meet in the morning to sell their wares make up the Bac Ha Market. Unlike the Saturday Market, this is more about local business than tourism. The market is open until noon, but the best time to visit is between dawn and late morning. If you miss the Bac Ha Market, you can wait until Tuesday for the Coc Ly Market, which is smaller and less varied. 

Sapa is mainly for trekking and visiting tribal villages and also to experience the tribal life in the beautiful rice terraces. All these can be covered within 2 to 3 days. Most of the tourist agents organise a day trip where a guide from the tribal community take you for a guided trekking. Surprisingly these guides will speak english and there will be no problem communicating with them. The day trips also include lunch and overall Sapa is worth a visit.

My next destination was Halong bay but you have to go to Hanoi and from there you have to change bus to Halong bay or you can stay back to relax from the long journey and then you can head to Halong bay. I stayed for two days again in Hanoi before heading to Halong bay as journey will be too long.

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Ha long bay:

Halong bay is around 174 Kms from Hanoi and you can travel by bus which will take around 4hrs. If budget is not a problem, an hour-long helicopter transfer is also available. Ha long bay is a beautiful natural wonder in northern Vietnam near the Chinese border. The bay is dotted with 1,600 limestone islands and islets and covers an area of over 1,500 sqkm. This extraordinary area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. For many tourists, this place is like something right out of a movie.

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There will be a day trip or even 2 days or 3 days cruise trip to visit these islands and prices vary. It is advisable to book the cruise trip after reaching Ha long bay instead of booking it from different place as it will be much cheaper if you are booking Ha long bay instead of Hanoi. In these trips they take you to different islands where you can visit large caves, hike mountains and enjoy this amazing view. Lunch will also be included in the package. I think one whole day trip is enough but if your time and budget permits then you can choose 2 or 3 days cruise trip.

Hue:

Hue was my next city which was around 782 Kms and was 14 hrs journey from Ha long bay. You can even opt to travel by train but I travelled by sleeper bus which I felt was comfortable and also economical and moreover the sleeper bus comes with toilets. Hue is a city in a central Vietnam and was a national captial from 1802 to 1945 ruled by Nguyen Dynasty emperors. Hue has many pagodas, perfume river and also famous for its cuisine.

You can visit Thien Mu pagoda, Tu hieu pagoda and the Imperial citadel. And three days is enough to explore the city.

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Danang:

My next city was Danang which was 93 kms from Hue and 2 hrs by bus. Danang is one of my favourite cities in Vietnam known for its sandy beaches and French colonial port. The city centre was so vibrant due to Tet celebration and this city has a big lake in the city centre with dragon bridge and a long walk in the lakeside makes your evening so memorable and refreshing. It is a nice place for the locals to hangout or for the joggers.

The main sightseeing places are marble mountains, Phap Lam pagoda, Da nang cathedral, My khe beach, Dragon bridge.

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Hoi an

My next city was Hoi an which was just 29 kms from Danang. There are so many buses from Danang which will take 45 mins. It is the most well-preserved ancient town in the central Vietnam cut through with canals. Its a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda. The town comprises a well-preserved complex of 1,107 timber frame buildings, with brick or wooden walls, which include architectural monuments, commercial and domestic vernacular structures, notably an open market and a ferry quay, and religious buildings such as pagodas and family cult houses. There is also the fine wooden Japanese bridge, dating from the 18th century which is the landmark of this city. Hoi an is also popular for its numerous tailor shops. Visit a shop, pick out your favorite fabric, usually silk, and by the next day a hand tailored suit will be awaiting for pick up. I did not purchase any suits and I did not buy much of anything in Hoi An, but I did enjoy window shopping.

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In Hoi An, there is a law stating that every shop must hang lanterns from their facade. As the sun sets, the lanterns turn on, lighting up the town in the warm glow of yellow, red, and green light. There is also An Bang beach in the city and also rice fields to explore. Hoi an is popularly known as “lanterns city”.

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Nha trang:

The distance between Hoi an to Nha trang was 508 kms and there are lot of bus companies which run sleeper bus and can make a overnight journey. Nha trang is mainly famous for its amazing beaches and pagodas like Long son pagoda and Ponagar Tower.

Po Nagar is a Cham temple tower founded sometime before 781 C.E. and located in the medieval principality of Kauthara, near modern Nha Trang in Vietnam.

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Long Son Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in the city of Nha Trang on South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is regarded as one of the main sites in the city, along with Hai Duc Temple.

Dalat:

Dalat is a city centered around a lake and golf course, and surrounded by hills, pine forests, lakes and waterfalls. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its distinctive temperate climate, Dalat was developed as a resort by the French in the early 1900s, and many reminders of its colonial heritage remain.

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The hill town of Da Lat has long been the most popular location in the region for getaway holidays since French colonial times. Situated on a plateau 1,500 metres above sea level, this retreat town offers a good change of atmosphere with a refreshingly cool climate while other cities in Vietnam can be very hot and humid especially during summer. The city has a huge lake and lakeside walk in the evening can be so refreshing after a hectic day. The Lam Vien Square and Doha cafe opposite lake is a great place to hang out among the locals.

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The main tourist place in Dalat is Truc Lam Pagoda. The best way to reach Truc Lam is via the gondola cable car from Robin Hill. The cable car ride spans for 1.6 miles (2.6km) from Robin Hill to Phoenix Summit, the location of Truc Lam Monastery. The ride is fun and incredibly scenic.

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You’ll pass over picturesque farmland and gaze on rolling, green hills that stretch out to infinity. A round trip ticket is only 70,000VND ($3USD). You could also take a taxi to the monastery, but come on. we can’t pass on that view! Spending at least one hour to explore the many buildings, sprawling grounds, and lovely gardens of Truc Lam is highly recommended.

There are food and drink vendors right outside the main gate, close to the cable car station. Having vendors nearby makes a picnic in the monastery hassle-free. Keeping the vendors outside the monastery maintains the right atmosphere inside the gates.

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Welcome to the Hang Nga Guesthouse, also known as “Crazy House”. It was opened to the public in 1990, the Hang Nga guesthouse began as a pet project of architect Dang Viet Nga daughter of ranking communist leader Trong Chinh Dang Viet Nga. It was here she built her now famous guesthouse, modeling after the natural she saw all around her in the rolling green mountains.The main structure of crazy house is based a banyan tree. A million words wouldn’t be able to do this weird place justice. It’s a visual experience, so let’s have a look at some pictures that show exactly how innovative and interesting the Hang Nga Guesthouse really is.

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Mui ne :

The next city was Mui ne which is a beach resort town with a long, palm-lined stretch of sand.

Fairy stream is another wonder of nature. Tucked between beaches and fishing villages, this gurgling stream is surrounded by amazing limestone formations. You can deposit your shoes at the entrance or carry them along with you to explore this muddy stream.

Make your way through colourful limestone formations, warm water, and bright green trees to reach a waterfall.

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Mui Ne’s chaotic early morning market provides a fascinating peek into the lives of local Vietnamese fishermen. Every morning they get their catch to the shore. Their wives and family members sort out the catch and sell it to the local traders, restaurant owners, and street food vendors on the spot.

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There are two sand dunes one being the white sand dunes and the other is red Sand Dunes . If you don’t have the time to venture out to the White Sand Dunes which is 25 kms from the city, the Red ones are just a couple of kilometres from the centre and can be reached on foot as well.

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This is the only city where I saw both desert and the beaches in a few kms away. White sand dunes is 25 kms from the city but the tour agent arranges a jeep at 4.30 am to get the sunrise view or at 4.30pm to get the sunset view. The city is just amazing with a places likes fairy stream, deserts and amazing beaches.

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Ho Chi Minh:

The most popular city of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh is named after a communist revolutionary leader who was Chairman and First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Vietnam. He was also Prime Minister and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

It is a vibrant mix of old and new with well-preserved colonial structures and war relics from the devastating Vietnam war as well as sleek skyscrapers. while unique modes of transportation such as motorcycle taxis and cycles make it relatively easy to explore the city centre and beyond. From the ornate Mariamman Hindu Temple to the informational War Remnants Museum, there seems to be an endless list of what to see in Ho Chi Minh City. The day trip from Ho Chi Minh to Mekong delta is a must see if you are in Ho Chi Minh as it is just amazing and cannot be explained in words.

Overall Vietnam is completely safe and affordable and also chilled out place for the tourists. It will definitely not drain your bank accounts but give you a memorable experience for the lifetime. Yes there are so many places which I did not visit but this was the best covered trip for 30 days according to me.

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China is a humongous country and who ever want to explore will be confused where to start and where to end. China has many beautiful places apart from its popular cities like Beijing, Xian, Shanghai. Most tourist packages will only take you to these cities. But apart from these there are several places in China for nature lovers and also for those who want to witness the wonders of china like glass bridge and huge skyscrapers.

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I started exploring China from its capital Beijing. Best time to visit this country is March and April during autumn with pleasant weather to hike great wall or even to explore the cities.

Beijing has many interesting places and most important is one of the seven wonders of the world ie, The Great wall of China and other places like Tiananmen square, Forbidden City, Jingshan park, Summer palace and Temple of heaven.

Day 1 -2

Tiananmen square and forbidden City is at the downtown Beijing, so the tourist can easily access. Tiananmen square or the gate of heavenly peace is a city square in the city of Beijing built in 1651.

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The Forbidden city was declared as World heritage site in 1987 by UNESCO as the ” Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasty”. It is a palace museum which was formerly the residence of the emperor of China.

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Day 3 – 4

You can explore the great wall of China for one whole day. The most popular is Badaling section which is best preserved and complete section. Most stairs are not very steep and equipped with handrails. And moreover it has cable car which helps senior citizens and also disabled. It is 73 kms away from the downtown and easily accessible through train.

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It is advisable to hike the great wall to get the amazing view and also the photographs of lifetime. Moreover you will be given certificate to certify that you have hiked the great wall of China.

Next day you can explore summer palace which is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces of Qing dynasty. It covers total area of 2.9 sq kms and three quarters of which is lakes. And on the same day you can also visit the Temple of heaven in which emperor’s worshipped the god of heaven for good harvests. It has been described as a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design.

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Day 5 – 6

Walking through the pedestrian street which is so colourful with trams and the statues in the street gives you a glimpse of Chinese culture and heritage. Also you can visit pearl market to bargain and buy freshwater pearl, clothing and jewels.

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It is advisable to stay in downtown Beijing so that you can easily walk to Pedestrian street, Tiananmen square, forbidden City which is the most happening place of Beijing.

The same day evening I left to Xi’an and I reached next day morning around 8am.

Day 7 – 8

After relaxing till afternoon, I went to see the popular food street of Xi’an know as Muslim street. It is a heaven for meat lovers and you find varieties of food and also fruit juices and chips.

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You can’t go all the way to Xi’an and miss the Terracotta warriors known as 8th wonder of the world. It is a day trip from Xi’an.

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Day 8 – 9

It is advisable to stay near to the drum tower and bell tower in Xi’an as you can explore the city by walk.

The two-storey rectangular drum tower stands in a brick structured pedestal of 52.6 metres long, 38 metres wide and 7.7 metres tall. The drum tower faces the bell tower across Zhonggulou Square in the north of which is the famous muslim food street.

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My next destination was Shanghai which was 1,383.4 kms from Xi’an. If you are traveling by high speed train also called bullet train you can reach within 5 to 6 hrs from Xi’an but if you are traveling by fast train it will take 14 to 15 hrs. Travelling night time saves time as well as hostel rent. You can have good sleep in the train and you will be reaching other place which is thousands of kilometres away.

So I took train to Shanghai from XI’an on 8th day evening and reached Shanghai on next day at 8am. And my friend Jeff and his wife was waiting in railway station at Shanghai. I stayed with them for 3 days and they guided me to explore Shanghai infact Julia took me around the city. Their daughter Catherine was so adorable and can never forget their hospitality.

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Day 9- 10

After relaxing till afternoon, we visited The bund in Shanghai, a waterfront area in central Shanghai. It has been one of the most recognisable symbols and the pride of Shanghai. If you have not seen The Bund means that you had never been to Shanghai. You can just walk along to appreciate the historical buildings. The historical architecture and modern skyscrapers are a treat to your eyes.

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Suzhou, popularly known as “Venice of the East” is mainly famous for its watertowns and has lot of canals, bridges and classical gardens and is just 107 kms from Shanghai which can be reached within 15 minutes by high speed trains. It is a must visit if you want to see the ancient watertowns of China.

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There is also Suzhou museum and Zen temple which I skipped due to heavy rain on that day.

Day 10-11

How can we miss Shanghai Disneyland in Pudong? Yes it is an amazing place where everyone can enjoy irrespective of their age. Scary rides, thrilling adventures, comedy shows, taking pics with Mickey mouse, 7d show of the seven wonders of the world. It was just amazing. The ticket price is 370 RMB but worth it. You will not know how the time passes in such a happening place. One whole day is not enough in this amazing Disneyland.

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Next day went for shopping in Shanghai near The Bund and Nanjing road and took a long walk in The Bund before bidding a goodbye to Shanghai.

Same day evening took a train to Hangzhou from Shanghai and it took 3 hrs to reach. Hangzhou, famous for its West Lake and it’s natural landscape.

Day 11 – 12

This was the day to explore Hangzhou. It has a huge lake covering the whole city from one corner to the other and the natural beauty of the gardens and the lakes will blow your mind. I have never seen such a breathtaking natural beauty anywhere. The city has the most picturesque lakes and gardens.

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Hangzhou is a perfect place to enjoy the nature. Felt like staying there forever but have to move on.

Day 12 – 13

My next destination was Zhangjiajie which is 1,406 kms but there was no high speed trains in this route and journey in the fast train took around 22 hrs. On 13th day evening, I reached Zhangjiajie and was time to take rest after a long journey.

Day 14

Tourists visit Zhangjiajie only to see the highest and longest glass Bridge in the world hanging over Zhangjiajie grand canyon which is 270 metres above the ground. Tickets should be booked in advance as no tickets are sold in the spot. It can be booked one day before to 2 months in advance. The ticket price is 259 RMB plus 3 RMB for insurance for grand canyon and the glass bridge. The entering time is also set while booking the ticket. It is a thrilling experience to walk in the bridge Paved with transparent glass. All visitors have to wear shoe covers which will be given before entering the bridge. This is a must see if you are in China.

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Day 15 – 16

Started journey to Kunming in the evening which is about 1,323 kilometres from Zhangjiajie and took almost 27 hrs. So this was the longest routed travelled in China.

Day 17-18

Kunming is known as spring city and boast it’s natural scenery with many tourist attractions like stone forest, green lake, Yunnan ethnic village, railway museum.

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Day 19-20

Reached Dali the ancient town of China which was around 334 kms from Kunming. It is a town full of historic sites and Traditional culture. Three pagodas, Erhai lake, Dali ancient town is around 3 sq kms and can be fully explored by foot.

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Dali also has a interesting food street for the foodies. Stayed two days in Dali exploring ancient city and Erhai lake. Left to Lijiang, in the evening which was just 140 kms from Dali. Lijiang is another popular ancient town and is much bigger compared to Dali. Visiting ancient town gives a in-depth view of the Chinese culture and traditions. The ancient town in Lijiang is more colourful and much bigger than any other ancient towns of China.

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Day 21

Lijiang also has jade dragon snow mountain and tiger leaping gorge which I skipped as I wanted to visit Shangri-la and Lhasa the capital of Tibet.

Day 22

Left to Shangri-la which is 120 kms from Lijiang and can be reached within four hours. An average altitude of more than 3000 meters, the county is very difficult to be reached. Without railways leading there the chief means of transport is motor vehicles. Visitors usually start their journey from Kunming to Dali and Dali to lijiang and then take a bus to reach Shangri-la and while going back again the same way backb as there is no other route. Majority of them are Tibetians and has a influence of Tibetians in food and culture.

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From Shangri-la there are many tourist agents with whom you can get Tibet travel permit which allows you to enter only Lhasa.

Day 23

Took a flight of two hrs to Lhasa, the world’s seventh highest city. The Potala palace is the main attraction in Lhasa. The weather was extremely cold due to high altitude.

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Day 24

My next destination was Guangzhou which was 3,570 kms from Lhasa. So flight was the best option or you have to come back to shagrila, Lijiang, dali, Kunming and then Guangzhou which would have taken 3 to 4 days.

Guangzhou is one of the four biggest cities of China the other three being Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzen. It is a port city in the northwest of Hong Kong on the pearl river. It has Canton tower skyscraper and many other architectural landmarks and Buddhist temples.

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Day 25 – 26

Two days sightseeing in hop on hop off bus is the best way to travel around the city sitting back relaxed and enjoying the skyscraper view of the city

Day 27

Guangzhou City has many wholesale cloth markets where buying clothes in bulk will be much cheaper. Baima market is more popular among them. One whole day is also not enough to explore many markets of clothes, bags and other accessories.

Day 28 – 29

Guangzhou to Shenzhen is 138 kms and was the last city of my month long trip. Shenzhen as mentioned before is one of the biggest cities and there are both high speed and fast trains running between these two cities. Approximately there are more than 220 trains running in this route. This is the city which connects China to Hong Kong through a metro train or you can also travel by ferry to Hong Kong. It is known for its shopping destinations, huge skyscrapers and massive malls.

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The skyscrapers are amazing in this city. It is a visual treat to your eyes. Two days was also not enough as you have lots of cloth and bag markets and food streets and lots of malls and is a popular shopping destination.

Day 30

Thought this was the last day of my month long trip in China but little did I knew that it will extend for four more days. Went to Hong Kong by a metro from Shenzen. But my visa was rejected and was sent back to China again from where I took a flight back to India. Overall it was the most memorable days I spent in that country. The people were great even though they don’t speak english, they are always ready to help. There are so many other places like Chengdu famous for pandas and Nanning which I skipped due to lack of time. This was my itinerary to cover maximum number of places in one month. Definitely will pen the most amazing experience in the next blog as it is becoming too long. China is undoubtedly the most wonderful country for backpackers. Don’t miss it.