" The universe is so big. In free & easy travelling, you can't be everything everywhere all at once. You bound to win some & you lose some. That is LIFE "
One for the album - my travel buddies (my wife, Thompson Tham + wife & K F Wong) - thank you all for the wonderful time we spent together in this 20 days free & easy exciting trip (simple & no frills) to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong, Tam Coc) & Central Vietnam (Hue, Danang & Hoi An) ! No major hiccups in this Vietnam visit during the winter month of Feb 2023 (thanks to Vietnamese tourism, service & transport industry which are tourist-friendly & efficient) & our group was able to visit the major highlights as planned ! Another chapter of my travel to Vietnam accomplished & a happy outcome ! But I should mention that the biggest challenge was crossing the streets & main roads of major cities in Vietnam due to the sheer number of motor bikers zooming & zig zagging on the roads, day & night ! It really require some skills & courage for older folk like me to cross the streets !
My last visit to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Catba Island was in May 2007 (a lapse of 16 years) & in Jan 2014, I visited Ho Chi Minh, Hue, Danang & Hoi An - so a bit of a down the memory lane visit for me to greet & yell a Good Morning Vietnam one more time as soon as I land in Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, accompanying by my wife & 3 travel buddies ! For sure, time really flies !
Vietnam currently has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. To date, I had visited 5 of them. For this 20 day Vietnam trip, I had the opportunity of visiting (including re-visit) 1) Imperial Citadel of Thang Long 2) Complex of Hue Monuments 3) Hoi An Ancient Town & 4) Trang An Landscape Complex. Perhaps I should make another visit come early 2024 (if I am still fit & able) to visit My Son Sanctuary, Halong Bay (I skipped this trip), Dalat, Nha Trang & say hello to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) one more time !
- Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (visited Feb 2023)
- Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (yet to visit)
- Complex of Hue Monuments (visited Jan 2014 & Feb 2023)
- Halong Bay (visited May 2007)
- Hoi An Ancient Town (visited Jan 2014 & Feb 2023)
- My Son Sanctuary (yet to visit)
- Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (yet to visit)
- Trang An Landscape Complex (visited Feb 2023)
 |
| DHC Marina, Danang |
 |
| Mua Cave, Ninh Binh |
.jpg) |
Chua Ling Ung Temple
Ba Na Hills, Danang |
 |
Sun World Ba Na Hills Resort
Danang, Vietnam |
My travel itinerary: Kuala Lumpur > Hanoi > SAPA > Lao Cai > Hanoi > Haiphong > Tam Coc > Ninh Binh > Hue > Danang > Hoi An > Danang > Kuala Lumpur (Home Sweet Home)
 |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia >
Hanoi, Vietnam (approx 2,798km) |
 |
Hanoi > SAPA > Lao Cai >
Hanoi > Haiphong > Do Son Beach
> Haiphong > Tam Coc > Ninh Binh >
Hue > Danang > Hoi An > Danang
(approx 1,700km)
|
A summary of total expenses incurred (20days): Rm3,498 (US$795) per pax
- Air Ticket (KL>Hanoi+Danang>KL): Rm730
- Travel Insurance: Rm112
- Hotel (17 nights): Rm642
- Food: Rm568
- Airport Bus (Hanoi): Rm10
- Express Bus (SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong & Danang): Rm201
- Taxi & Grab (Hue, Danang & Hoi An): Rm110
- Cable Car (Fansipan): Rm185
- Train (Lao Cai>Hanoi & Ninh Binh>Hue): Rm363
- Entrance fee: Rm129
- Sim Card: Rm49
- Day Tour (Ninh Binh & Ba Na Hills): Rm395
- Sundries: Rm4
Exchange rates: 10,000dong = Rm1.95; US$1 = Rm4.40An update of my travel activity in February 2023 provided by Google Map ! For this February Vietnam trip, amazing to note that I had chalked up 52km (17 hours) of intermittent walking in 9 major cities / towns in Northern & Central Vietnam !
Travel Highlights (Hanoi, SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong, Tam Coc, Hue, Danang & Hoi An):
1) Hanoi, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (2 nights): Rm240 (US$55) per pax
- Hotel (2 nights): Rm87 (US$20, twin sharing) per pax
- Airport Bus (Hanoi): 50,000dong (Rm9.75)
- Food: 379,000dong (Rm74) per pax
- Entrance fee: 100,000dong (Rm19.50)
- Sim Card: 250,000dong (Rm49)
 |
| Temple of Literature, Hanoi |
 |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi |
 |
| Presidential Palace, Hanoi |
 |
| One-Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi |
 |
| Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi |
 |
| Hanoi Night Market |
 |
| Hanoi City Centre |
2) SAPA, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (3 nights): Rm558 (US$127) per pax
- Hotel (3 nights): Rm147 (twin sharing) per pax
- Bus (Hanoi > SAPA): Rm78
- Cable car (Fansipan): 950,000 dong (Rm185)
- Entrance fee (Cat Cat Village): 150,000 (Rm29.20)
- Bike: 60,000dong (Rm11.70)
- Taxi: 20,000dong (Rm3.90)
- Food: 517,500dong (Rm101) per pax
- Sundries: 10,000dong (Rm1.95)
 |
| Fansipan Legend |
 |
| Trinh Pagoda, Fansipan |
 |
| Stoned Church, SAPA |
 |
| SAPA Town |
 |
| SAPA Square |
 |
| Cat Cat Village, SAPA |
3) Lao Cai, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (2 days): Rm108 (US$25) per pax
- Hotel (1 night): Rm25 (twin sharing) per pax
- Bus (SAPA > Lao Cai): 40,000 dong (Rm7.80)
- Grab (5 rides): 85,000 dong (Rm17) per pax
- Food: 298,000 dong (Rm58) per pax
 |
Lao Cai International Border Gate
|
 |
| Den Mau, Lao Cai |
4) Hanoi, Vietnam
5) Haiphong, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (3 days): Rm171 per pax
- Hotel (2 nights):Rm78 per pax (twin sharing)
- Bus (Hanoi>Haiphong): 11,000 dong (Rm21)
- Food: 240,000dong (Rm46.80)
- Taxi: 40,000 dong (Rm7.80) per pax
- Bus: 90,000 dong (Rm17.50)
 |
General Le Chan Statute
Haiphong, Vietnam |
 |
| Le Chan Temple, Haiphong, Vietnam |
6) Tam Coc, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (3 days): Rm381 (US$87) per pax
- Hotel (2 nights): Rm62 per pax (twin sharing)
- Bus (Haiphong > Tam Coc): 300,000 dong (Rm58)
- Package tour (Ninh Binh): 990,000dong (Rm193)
- Food: 318,000 dong (Rm62) per pax
- Taxi (4 seater): 30,000 (Rm6) per pax
 |
Tam Coc Boat Ride
Tam Coc-Bich Dong-Ninh Binh |
 |
Bai Dinh Pagoda
Tam Coc |
 |
Lying Dragon Top
Mua Cave, Tam Coc |
7) Hue, Vietnam
Total expenses incurred (3 days 2 nights): Rm429 (US$98) per pax
- Train ticket (Ninh Binh > Hue): Rm210
- Hotels (2 nights): Rm70
- Grab car (4 seater): 500,000dong@125,000 (Rm24) per pax
- Entrance fees: 150,000dong (Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh) + 200,000dong (Hue Imperial City = 350,000dong (Rm68.25)
- Food: 294,000dong (Rm57) per pax
 |
| Imperial Citadel, Hue,Vietnam |
 |
| Royal Antiquities Museum, Hue |
 |
| Emperor Khai Dinh Tomb, Hue |
 |
| Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue |
8) Danang, Vietnam
Total costs incurred (4 days 3 nights): Rm478 (US$108) per pax
- Hotel (3 nights): Rm80.60 per pax
- Bus (Hue > Danang): 170,000dong = Rm33.15 per pax
- Grab Car 4 Seater (Danang > Hoi An > Danang): Rm39 per pax
- Grab Car 7 Seater (Hotel > Danang Airport): Rm4 per pax
- Day Tour Package (Ba Na Hills): 1,038,000dong =Rm202
- Food: 598,000dong = R117 per pax
- Sundries: Rm2 per pax
 |
Golden Bridge, Ba Na Hills
Danang, Vietnam |
 |
Sun World French Village
Ba Na Hills, Danang
|
.jpg) |
| Dragon Bridge, Danang |
9) Hoi An, Vietnam
 |
| Hoi An Old Town, Vietnam |
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
