We started our travels Friday the 16th of December. A long awaited journey had finally begun. The airport train had some hick-ups which caused some stressful moments, especially with me. But after a while, the train rolled on again and with some 30 min delay, we arrived at Arlanda Airport.
After a rather smooth 8 hour journey we arrived in Doha where we had to run our connecting flight as our incoming flight was delayed by 45 minutes. After yet another smooth 8 hours, we arrived at our first destination, Ho Chi Min City/ Saigon.
The home exchange apartment was located in a residential area of HCMC. Most importantly, it had a wonderful pool and it is fair to say that Kiara learned to swim here. After every visit to town, the day was finished by a dive in the pool. Apart from visiting the (very warm city) we also visited the Mekong delta where we did some kayaking and a rode a bike (26 km). All in all, we really enjoyed HCMC.
Next destination was wonderful Kat Tien national park. We walked to a lake with crocodiles and cycled both around town and in the national park. Especially the bike ride in the NP was one to remember. Too bad that Junia didn’t join us as TikTok was unfortunately more appealing.The family owned home stay was excellent and we loved the food. Every morning, we were woken up by the animals on the roof of our cabin. Too bad we never found out what kind of animals actually were on our roof.
After three days in Kat Tien, we left for Dalat. We explored the city and especially liked the evening markets. I still regret that we didn’t buy 10 Emmas, as that would have saved us some disappointments later in Hà Nội.
Highlight of our Dalat visit, and maybe even our entire holiday, was our canyoning adventure. All our kids impressed the tour leaders/ guides with their bravery (Junia and Alma doing the rapids) and stamina (Kiara who just kept on walking without complaining). Both parents also enjoyed the challenges and moved some personal boundaries. Also in Dalat, we ate some great food and enjoyed the Vietnamese vibes. One activity that we missed though was an early morning hike to the highest peak. Maybe next time.
Next town on our journey was Bai Xep where we hoped to do some swimming, snorkelling and diving. It quickly became apparent that that was far fetched though. High waves made any water activity impossible. Bad planning and preparation from both parents.
We traveled by coach with only sleeping berths. Great for when you need to sleep during night travels but not so comfy during day times. Glad we could get out after some 6 hours. Worth the experience though!
Despite the fact that we couldn’t swim or snorkel, we had a wonderful time. Climbing the waterfall was rewarding and swimming in the cold pools was delightful. Visiting Puk Nohn was also rewarding. Nice to see that clean cities and beaches are possible in Vietnam. Too bad that we couldn’t stay for the New Year’s party as the music was really appealing (especially for Dad).
The guesthouse/ hotel where we stayed (Haven) was really awesome with great views on the sea and beaches. The food was not that good but luckily for us, the restaurant next door (Life is a beach) offered some excellent seafood. The kids didn’t really appreciate it that their parents selected fish and lobster to be slaughtered for their food tasting.
New Year’s Eve offered Karaoke and for the very first time in a very long time (believe it was Perth 2008) we (Mum, Dad and Junia) made it until 24:00. After some fireworks and New Year’s wishes, we quickly went to bed. Do not believe it was later than 00:10.
Bai Xep truly is a hidden gem and I fully understand (but not appreciate!) all the resorts being build in the vicinity. I can imagine that this little fishing town will look complete different in a few years from now. Hopefully that will have a positive impact, how strange that might sound, on the environment. Both the little city and the beaches are completely wasted with trash. Believe we collected 10 garbage bags full of trash in no time.
After some wonderful days in Bai Xep, we left for Hoi An, some 5 hours to the north. In Hoi An, we stayed at a dream location, again arranged via HomeExchange. An amazing villa in an area called ‘vegetable village’.
In Hoi An, we had planned to meet up with another Swedish family, travelling the South East Asian region for about two months. From day one, all kids (and parents alike) hit the ground running and it was nice to see how well the two families blended together. It is fair to say that being together for some days truly enriched our Hoi An (and Vietnam for that matter) experience.
In Hoi An, we extensively used the bikes that we had to our disposal. We visited beaches, a pottery village and many more places by bike. Impressed not only by the kids cycling in challenging/ chaotic traffic but also about by the kids sitting at the back of the bikes. No comfy child seats for kids in Vietnam!
It is easy to understand why the Hoi An old town is UNESCO listed. The old buildings are a delight to visit and just wandering around town is an ‘experience of its own’. True, it is touristy and there are many shops but in the old days, these same old houses were also used for trading. Now it is The North Face gear, tailor made clothing, and coffee that os being sold while in the it the old days, it was spices and herbs. The charm of the old building is still there and tough negotiations are still required to get the deal done. “Good business for you and me” and always with respect and with a smile on your face.
After some days in Hoi An, we left (by train) to Ha Noi, our final destination.
