Enjoying Train Travel in Vietnam

Enjoying Vietnam via Train Travel

Train Travel is indeed an interesting option for traveling in Vietnam. It is not only the oldest means of transport in Vietnam and also a very interesting option for a traveler, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the landscapes and also the culture of the local people.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to discover the country and its people. If you have never traveled by train, I shall tell you why trains  in Vietnam became my favorite mode of long distance transportation. Here are 3 top reasons why train travel in Vietnam is the best. On most of the long distance trains in Vietnam, you can travel overnight.  Overnight train travel is great as you can sleep comfortably on a bed instead of being crammed in a car or bus. Moreover, you don’t waste time during the day. It is also budget friendly, and a perfect means to discover the country. Besides, the trains leave and arrive right on time so you can plan your trip very well.

If you are a traveler in Vietnam, buying a ticket in Vietnam is a little complicated if you don’t speak Vietnamese, so here are a few tips to help you book your train journey in Vietnam.

Always book your tickets in advance either online, through a travel agent, your hotel or directly at the station.

If you don’t have time, its best you book through a local agent.

If you like to do a booking online, do so on www.seat61.com or  www.12go.asia or  www.baolau.com. On any of these  sites, you can pay by your credit card.

The Vietnamese official site  www.dsvn.vn  only excepts Vietnamese credit cards.

However, we decided to book our train travel on our own directly from the train station. The ticket counters are open for booking early in the morning around 7 and shut only late night around 10. Please make sure, you have your passport with you when you do the train booking. Just write down the names of the place you wish to travel to and the date of travel and the staff will hand over options of the various trains.

You also need to know that the trains will haves soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper mentioned. For a long overnight journey, its best to choose a soft sleeper. The soft sleeper has 4 beds in one cubicle -  2 beds on top and 2 beds down. In this cubicle, there are only 4 people.

The Hard sleeper has 6 beds in a single cubicle with 3 on either side where there is a upper, middle and lower berth on noth sides. In this cubicle, there will be 6 people.

A point to remember is that if you are tall and have difficulty climbing, its best to take the lower bed.

On the day of travel, arrive before time at the train station and look for the platform the train is supposed to depart from. If the station is a starting point, the train is usually at the platform a good half hour before time.

Just look for your coach and show your ticket outside to the ticket collector. The Ticket collectors are dressed in uniform just like you see in the airlines. They are polite and ensure you are on the right seat.

Sit back and enjoy your train journey. You will have a dining coach in the train where you can have your cup of authentic Vietnamese coffee and for those who need a little more, there are always soupy noodles.

Train journey from Hanoi - Sapa

Traveling from Hanoi to Sapa is a spectacular experience. There are a couple of options for Train travel from Hanoi to Sapa. The end of the line is Lao Cai. From here, you must take a mini van or private cab to reach Sapa which is an hour away.

You will be surprised by the number of trains that leave from Hanoi for Sapa. There is the Kings express, Fanxipan express, Sapally Express, Orient express, ictoria and Chapa express and These companies have 2-3 boogies on the same train and the level of comfort varies with each company offering. SP1 and SP2 are the regular coaches run by the Vietnamese airlines and SP3 and SP4 contain the private coaches. Although the train remains the same, the facilities vary a bit in terms of small comforts and meals in the others. The comfort though remains the same on either of them with minimal additional facilities, like branded bedsheets, a bottle of wine and some snacks.

The trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai depart from platform between  nos 5-10.

You will arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning. From Lao cai, you have to take a minibus or a private car. The journey is around 50 mins and takes you through narrow winding roads. The bus will drop you right to the centre of Sapa close to the church. In case, your hotel, is on the route,  they will drop you right outside your hotel.

There is also outside the station, red and yellow busses which is the local transport which will take you to Sapa city centre.

 On the way back, the mini busses leave from opposite the Sapa Church. Again it’s the same journey back to Lao Cai. The trains generally leave back for Hanoi early evening, so you are in Hanoi the next day early in the morning.

From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

The Reunification express traverses the length of the country from North to South and Vice Versa which is from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. On the way, you have several train stations. You may choose to travel to Danang, Na Trang or to the last stop which is Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi.

The Journey from Hanoi to Danang is an overnight journey. You leave Hanoi late night and you reach Danang the next day morning.

From Danang it is also possible to take an overnight train which reaches Ho Chi Minh city just before lunch time.

The  Hanoi – Ho chi Ming city train travel is spread across more than 2 days. Hence its best to break journey at Danang and enjoy Hoi An, an ancient heritage  town close to it. 

Train Travel in Vietnam is like a holiday which just unfolds itself on the train. So enjoy your Vietnamese coffee and Soupy noodles as you breathe in the exotic landscapes of Vietnam.

Thrilling North Vietnam

Planning your trip to North Vietnam? I hope these can inspire you to take that trip with my 5 top experiences of Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa.

Vietnam is truly a fascinating and beautiful country with diverse cultural differences which make it interesting and one of the top travel destinations for travelers in Asia. 

From its towering mountains and innumerable rivers and lakes to shimmering green rice paddies and ancient pagodas, Vietnam has a lot to offer with its spectacular views and mesmerizing landscapes. 

Here are a few of my best experiences which I believe you must try when in Vietnam:

Get lost in the old latin quarter of Hanoi

Street performer

Hanoi literally is brimming with culture and art. The old latin quarters are a maze of roads with street vendors selling their wares on either sides of the road. Just get lost in this chaotic city with its street shopping and street food culture.

Right in the middle of Hanoi is the huge Ho Kiem lake. Legend says that the tortoise who protected saved Hanoi still lies deep in its waters.  You can relax by the ho kiem lake at night or day and enjoy seeing  the locals either dancing or selling their wares on the footpath.

Make sure you stay a weekend in Hanoi cause every Saturday and Sunday night, the street  close to the Ho Kiem lake is closed to traffic and the Don Xuan market comes alive. The market is made of small temporary stalls and handcarts and name it you can find from a pin to an anchor in here at a good price.


What I enjoyed the most on the weekend markets is savoring the different types of road side delicacies. The must tries here are the Banh Mi, barbeques and Bun Cha.

   

weekend street dancing

Past 10 Pm on a weekend, you see the locals gathering together and dancing to the beats of dance music which is played. And believe me when I say, you will hear them dance to some of those catchy songs you haven’t heard in the last decade.

For instance we all got together and joined the locals in the Macarena dance. They were more than happy to have us join in and we danced literally like no one is watching. It was an amazing experience.

If you don’t like dancing, you can catch the younger Vietnamese play skipping games or a life size Jenga.

On a sunday morning, you can see people of all ages dance, practice Tai chi and a whole lot of fitness activities. Its an electrifying ambience out here and you will just be engulfed in the aura of this place.

Eat at the roadside stalls everywhere

Don Xuan Night market

From Shoulder poles, push carts and makeshift food stalls, the roadside food scene experience is pretty intense.

The must try road side food and some of my favourite include the Banh Mi, Bun Cha and Pho. Also must try are the Vietnameese Coffee and the special egg coffee called Caphe Trung. The bun bread is found at a small unpretentious shop named King Roti near Ho kiem lake. The best roti to have here is the choco coffee or the matcha Roti.

Try Banh mi at every local street vendor. Banh mi was introduced by the French and is actually a baguette which is crispy and light and is stuffed with the meat of your choice including fresh and pickled veggies. 

Banh mi is packed in a paper envelope and can be eaten as a snack on the go. Every hawker or push cart has a Banhh mi  which is made differently.

The branded ones like Viet linh, or the Banh Mi 25 are yummy but you should try the Banh mi at just any road side kiosk and you wouldnt be disappointed. Wherever you eat  the Banh mi, you will experience a different flavor every time. My favorite Banh mi is the Pork Banh mi or the Banh mi with a Pate.

Other street must tries are the BBQs, Pho, Bun Cha, sweet pancakes and colored rice vermicelli's.

Exploring Sapa by Motor cycle:

Sapa is a mountainous region in the northern part of Vietnam. 

Soak in the beauty of rice terraces and narrow winding streets. Just a stroll along the road will give you a sneak peek into the rich culture of these indigenous  mountainous people. 

Cat Cat village is a small hamlet on one side of the sapa mountain. This is where the Hmong tribes live and it’s a treat to just see the place.

The best way to explore Sapa is to just hire a bike from the main town and ride along the dusty streets.

From Cat Cat village to the Lao chai and the main town of Sapa, the green rice terraces are a treat to the eyes. It is indeed amazing to see the H mong minority community, what they do, what they wear and how they live.  

Go to the minorities market and you can buy some really good handicrafts and hand woven scarfs, clothes and bags. 

Walk into the market area of Sapa or even the area around the lake at Sapa and you can try some really lip smacking Vietnamese foods. The most famous is the sturgeon fish in broth which is cooked right in front of you on a small personal stove on your table.

Go to the market at night to try some great varieties of Barbeque. Most famous is the horse meat barbeque, the rice in bamboo shoot and the pork bbq.

You must also try the local liquor and wines, but be careful, it’s not quite for the faint heart.

After the long tiring day, I urge you to relax in a café as you get that Thai foot massage done. After that you will feel energized and alive for some dancing at the Irish pubs in the area.

Buddhist Monastery

View from Fanxipan

Cloud walk at Fanxipan mountain:

The Fanxipan mountain range is the largest mountain range of Sapa. The peak is at a whopping 3000 meters  and you can reach here almost till the top via cable car.


The best way to get to the cable car station is to go to the Sapa Muong Hoa Mountain train. The station is just across the market area near the stone church. You can buy the train, cable car as well as the Tram tickets from this counter itself.

Its best to start early. Wake up early and leave around 8-9 am and you will avoid all the rush crowd. The Train takes you to a tram station which then drops you off at the cable car station. 

The ride all through is beautiful and the views are absolutely stunning.  The terrain is dotted with rice terraces and beautiful mountains and small peaceful villages on the way. 

The cable car ride is surreal, it’s probably the longest ride  I have taken in a cable  car. What makes this ride more interesting is that you pass so many mountains and valleys and it feels just like a ride through the clouds. The end of your cable car trip is not the end of the journey, cause you will have more breathtaking views as you walk up the steps to explore the beauty of the Fanxipan mountain.

Thousands of steps await you and as you climb, you might feel like giving up, but don’t stop and keep walking till you are at the huge Buddha statue and keep walking again till you see the little Buddhist monasteries and finally  the Fanxipan mountain peak. In between as you walk through clouds and suddenly sunny skies you will be just taken aback by the surreal views of Fanxipan mountains.

Besides this mountain, another mountain to walk up is the Hamrong mountain. This mountain gives you a 360 degree view of Sapa. Whatever you do, these mountain climbs however exhausting and back breaking will be the most fascinating parts of your Sapa trip.

Cruise along Halong Bay:

Halong bay is studded with stunning limestone karsts that dot the sea. These limestone karst bursting out of the sea are unique to Halong Bay and no trip to Vietnam is complete without a visit to the Halong Bay.

Over the years due to the excessive tourism, Halong bay has got too crowded and a better destination to start your journey from is the Bai tu Long bay. We chose this bay as it was less crowded and you see the lime stone karst within 10 minutes of boarding the cruise.

The cruise in itself has numerous activities to keep you entertained. These include sessions like kayaking, underground cave visits, swimming in the halong bay sea, squid fishing, Tai chi sessions or even a Vietnamese cooking session. You will have your hands full all the time but there's also time to indulge in the lovely sea food and relax on the deck just observing the setting and rising sun.

Wake up early morning to see the sunrise  and the mesmerizing beauty of the sea and the limestone karsts. The pictures you can make on this trip with these stunning landscapes will remain forever etched in your memory.

So go ahead, book that ticket, make that trip to Northern Vietnam and go create some unforgettable memories.

Must experience foods of Vietnam

Vietnamese food is distinct and truly unforgettable. Vietnamese cuisine breathes simplicity and that’s why some of the best dishes in Vietnamese cuisine can be best eaten by the side of the road and it’s just this simplicity with its subtle variations and fresh ingredients that make you just pull a stool at the road side stall. 

In Vietnam, whether food or drink the road side is where the action is and hence my blog is going to mention only some of my favorite but also most frequently found dishes of Vietnam.

Here are the top things I learnt about Vietnamese food:

•        Vietnamese food is all about bun and broth where bun means noodles and broth is just clear soup.
•          All Vietnamese food has rice in some form or the other. It could be in the form of noodles, fried rice or even in pancake form.
•          Their most famous desert is sticky sweet rice in various flavors which give its varying colours.
•        Vietnamese food is best eaten with   chopsticks
•          Vietnamese food includes a lot of greens. The best way to eat the greens is to either have it stir fried or just dip and have it in a broth
•          Vietnamese love their coffee. Vietnamese coffee is strong and is best had cold or hot without milk. Its aroma just wafts through your senses and makes you scramble to a shop for your own cuppa

Some of my most loved dishes of Vietnam are given below:

1. Pho

Pho is the one of the most famous dish of Vietnam.It is a sweet salty noddle soup made of a chicken or beef broth with a sprinkling of herbs and a few pieces of chicken or beef on the top. The fragrant broth has star anise, clove and cinnamon to lend a natural sweetness to the soup and this wholesome meal that can be eaten anytime of the day but is generally eaten by the Vietnamese at breakfast.

The average cost of a bowl of Pho would be approx. VND 20,000-30,000

2. Bun cha for lunchtime:

Bun Cha is a chicken or Pork broth with containing several different ingredients. You have patties of seasoned pork marinated pork belly over a coal fire in a sweet salty liquid medium. There is a bowl of heavy broth with fish sauce, a basket of fresh herbs and greens and a bowl of rice noodle all in given to you separately.  Now you have to just mix all these ingredients together and create your own Bun cha. This dish has a perfect balance of sweet with sour and salty flavors all bundled in one mouthful. The average cost of a bowl of Pho would be approx. VND 30,000-35,000

3. Banh mi

The French bought with them the baguette but the Vietnamese have taken it to an entirely different level. The Baguette is toasted stuffed with meats, pickled veggies and fresh herbs  like coriander and veggies like carrots and cucumber too put together inside the baguette with a spicy sauce to tantalize your taste buds. You can just carry it with you wherever you go. The meat in the baguette can vary from pork to chicken, tuna or even egg. My favorite Banh mi is the Pork Banh mi and you can find the Banh mi at every street corner. You will be pleasantly surprised to see even  the most ubiquitous anonymous mobile cart vendor will make a tasty and lip smacking take away sandwich.

My favorite stalls in the Hanoi old quarter was Vie tling  Banh Mi, Banh Mi 25 and a small road side alley towards the right St Josephs cathedral. But my advice is to just walk along Hanoi and try any street corner vendor for an authentic  Banh Mi experience and I can assure you that you wouldn’t be disappointed.

The average price for a banh mi is VND 10,000- 15,000

4. Salmon Hot pot: A hot pot of Pink salmon is hard to ignore in this cold weather. It is made of salmon or Sturgeon which is fished from the many rivers and lakes in Sapa. Packed with  omega 3 fats, it is the tastiest fish served in a hot bowl of fish broth, rice noodles and greens like spinach and watercress. You can add a spicy fish sauce to spice the soup. It is served innovatively with a portable stove and you can cook the sturgeon on your own in a bowl of hot steamy broth. Once the fish is cooked, you take it out into your bowl so that it’s not overcooked and keep adding the noodles and greens to the boiling water as you require.

It costs around VND 500.000 for a pot which can be shared by 4 people.

5. Rau Muong: Vietnamese love their greens and that’s what keeps them healthy. Morning glory is stir fried green leafy vegetables with some potentially serious amount of garlic and a little fish sauce. It is commonly had along with a drink.

6. Com rang – This is Vietnamese fried rice, similar to Chinese fried rice but using all the local ingredients. What’s distinctly different is the type of rice which is slightly brownish and fatter than normal. The rice and the veggies are stir fried in a fish sauce which gives the rice its distinct flavor.

7. Goi Cuon

Fresh Transparent spring rolls with greens, meat, prawns and noodles. These are small morsels of precooked shrimp or pork with fresh herbs and veggies all snugly bundled up together and covered with thin and almost transparent rice sheets. All you got to do is dunk these little rolls into some hot spicy hoisin sauce and put the whole bundle into your mouth.

8. Barbe que : The Vietnamese  refer to these as BBQ and is pronounced as Be Be Q.  Over the weekends, at every street corner you can find an ubiquitous Vietnamese lady in her traditional hat bending over her unique and tempting selection of BBQ. Be it port or shrimp or chicken or just sausages, barbequed to perfection and laced with a spicy sweet sauce to tingle your taste buds. They make BBQ of fish, prawns, calamaris, pork, chicken, beef steaks, horse meat, scallops, sausages and even eggs. The eggs with their shells on are BBQed to give you a charcoal flavoured boiled egg.  The most different among them all is the BBQ rice in the hollow bamboo stalk. Try it at any small stall beside the street. My favorite place to try BBQ was the Sapa market street which has so many shops by the road each serving a different types of BBQ.

9. Caphe Trung – Vietnamese love their coffee. You can have Vietnamese coffee wither hot or iced and with or without Milk (sua). But Egg coffee is something totally different. It is more of a desert and is usually had in the evening or after dinner. It was created during the days when there was a shortage of milk. But today Caphe Trung is as creamy as it can get. It gets its creamy texture from the egg yolk which is blended to a thick foam and then mixed with strong Vietnamese coffee and condensed milk to give you a wonderfully  rich flavor. 

10. Che or caramel:

This is a desert bowl containing jelly bean, coconut milk, some tropical frut and topped with some ice. It’s just the desert you need to end your scorching hot day. It is filled with tropical fruits like bananas, mangoes etc along with coconut cream, crushed eyes and jellies. You will find this at a corner near the ho kiem lake late at night (aprox 10 pm).  Similar to Che, Vietnamese also create a crème caramel dunked in coconut milk and served on a bed of crushed ice.

11. Bia Hoi

Bia Hoi literally translates in Vietnamese to beer for everyone. And believe me this is the freshest and the cheapest draft you could get anywhere in the world. It is brewed daily in drums beside the road and offered in a jug. Containing just 3 percent of alcohol, it’s served in a jar filled with ice cubes. Vietnam is probably the only place in the world that serves you beer with ice cubes in it. This local fresh brew stays just for a day and is the most refreshing beer I have ever tasted.

I would aptly describe Vietnamese food as soul food as it has all the food in their freshest form. So dig in, enjoy Vietnamese food and be ready to let all the flavors explode in your mouth like a sweet sour spicy bomb.