Sapa, Vietnam - mist covered mountains, rice terraces, and hill-tribe people

Hi,
Having a great time in Vietnam. It's definitely one of the highlights of this trip.

I'm currently in the mountainous north, and it's much cooler than Cambodia or Laos. I've been hiking for the past couple days, enjoying the amazing scenery with mist covered mountains, rice terraces, and beautiful hill-tribe people. I originally planned on hiring a guide, but after talking to other travelers, decided to hike on my own, which let me go at my own pace, and enables me to interact the local hill-tribe people. I did get lost a few times in the maze of trails in the rice paddies, and ending up hiking along the rice paddy dams. You really need good balance or you'll end up getting pretty muddy.

I also hired a motorcycle (with driver this time) and rode over the highest pass in Vietnam to some remote villages. An amazing day with no other westerners in site.

I've finally been able to post a few more photos at
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6tcoYyqDxMk77JXE6

Man, next time I'm definitely going to bring a mini laptop. These internet cafe computers are crap. (256 meg of RAM, and full of viruses). I've already had my Gmail password hacked, and internet banking would be frighteningly dangerous.

Cheers,
Dave

Dave is in Hanoi

Hi,

Just a quick note from northern Vietnam. I just got back from 4 days in Halong Bay, travelling with a boat-builder from England. Ho-long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site which has thousands of limestone karst islands, towers, caves, and cliffs. We slept on a "Junk (aka, Chinese style boat), and hired a guide for a day of sea kayaking among the karst limestone towers and bays. It's really a spectacular area. Sorry, I haven't posted any photos yet.

Off to Sapa in northern Vietnam tomorrow.

Cheers,

Dave

Met up with Victoria from London

Over the past few days I've been traveling with Victoria, a really nice girl from England. We're off to the Full Moon festival in Hoi-An, Vietnam tonight. This is an ancient city on the coast, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's an ancient celebration that should be a lot of fun. Food is fabulous in Vietnam, and this ancient city is really amazing.

Cheers,

Dave

Escape from the steaming heat of Saigon to the cool highlands around Dalat

Hi,
Had a great time in Dalat, Vietnam. It was a perfect place to explore the cooler highlands, and retreat from the steaming heat of Saigon. Man, my energy level went way up with the cooler temps (20-25c).

I'm at a beach-town on the coast right now(Nga Trang), and spent the past couple days swimming, snorkeling, taking a boat tour of some nearby islands, and just relaxing on the beach. Off tomorrow to Hoi Ann, an ancient city on the coast.

Meeting lots of Vietnamese folks who now live in the US, who escaped the chaos of post war Vietnam in the late 1970's, and are now returning to visit relatives and their hometowns. Pretty amazing stories.

Cheers,
Dave

Quick note from Dave in Vietnam

Hi,

 

Just a quick note.  I've left the steaming heat and motorbike madness of Saigon, and am currently in Dalat, in the highlands 6 hours north of Saigon.  Dalat is in a spectacular location with lots of lake, waterfalls, and pine covered forests.   Yesterday I toured around the area by motorbike and really loved the twisting, hilly roads.  I rode up to a hightop pagoda for an amazing veiw of the area, and road to some minority villages which had no tourists at all.

 

It's actually pretty cool here.  I had to wear my softshell and long pants for only the 2nd time in 7 weeks.  On the bus ride here, it rained for only the 2nd time in 7 weeks, and this time it really poured - monsoon type rain.  Everything is much greener here, and the air is really fresh.

 

The food and coffee is great in Vietnam.  Much better than Laos or Cambodia. I love the Vietnamese coffee.  It will take the enamel right off your teeth  :)   It's called Cafe Fin, and is served in its own little filter pot, with a pot of ginger tea as a chaser for digestion.  Cost is 5000 Dong or about 30c.

 

Tomorrow I'm off to Nga Trang, a seaside town with a huge white sand beach.

 

Cheers,

Dave