We have spent our last couple of weeks in Asia in Northern Vietnam. We arrived in Hanoi after a long overnight bus ride from Hue, and searched the old quarter for a reputable tour agency to take us to see one of the most beautiful places in the country - Halong Bay.
After some debate, we finally chose a tour with Halong Dragon Cruise and had a fantastic time. After a short bus breakdown at the beginning of our tour, we were on our way to the beautiful bay. Our junk boat was surprisingly comfortable and served great food, and in no time we were sailing through thousands of limestone islands, visiting caves, kayaking and hiking to some amazing viewpoints. Our guide, Dzung, was hilarious and loved to tell us (the good looking couple) tips about Vietnam and romantic places to visit.
After Halong Bay, we boarded a train to Sapa to visit the rice paddies and meet with some of the local hill tribes. Our first day we trekked through the rain to Cat Cat village to watch some Hmong dancing. On our second day, the weather cleared up and we trekked through rice fields to the villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. All along the way, we were accompanied by Black Hmong women who would hold your hand and help you up and down the slippery slopes of the mountains. It was such an incredibly beautiful place to see, and it was so interesting to look around and see the different traditional costumes worn by the surrounding hill tribes.
We spent our last few days in Asia wandering around Hanoi, taking in our last bowls of pho, bun, and extremely cheap ice cream. We also went to see a water puppet show (highly entertaining), and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, both of which we would recommend.
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