Tour to Hanoi

Although not a favorite vacation spot, try visiting one of the Indochina countries, Vietnam. Everything was nice and cheap. To Hanoi, why? "Once the comments of friends when I expressed an intention to vacation in the capital of Vietnam. For the people of Indonesia, Hanoi may not be a favorite vacation spot on the continent of Asia. Actually, the decision to take a walk to Hanoi is also not accidental.

Why Hanoi? Beijing had once lived the dream, we proposed a Thai friend. But because I've never been to the country's white elephant, we reject the idea. Coincidentally, a friend of Tiger Airways (low cost carrier based in Singapore) who offer promo tickets cheap enough to go to Hanoi via Singapore. Plus we do not need a visa, be a Hanoi as our vacation destination mid-May.

Flights to Hanoi from Singapore takes 3 hours. We arrived at Noi Bai International Airport at 6 pm local time. Do not imagine its international airports such as international airports in other countries. The atmosphere was much different. Although their area large enough, the atmosphere is very quiet. There are only three planes "parked" on the runway.

From the airport to the hotel, we met representatives of the travel agency we had booked from Jakarta. The distance between the airport to downtown (the location of the hotel) about 35 km. In the course looked several factories and hotels are being built. According to the guide who accompanied us, one of its developers is Ciputra. Great investment also Mr. Ciputra can get to Vietnam! Arriving at the hotel at 8 pm immediately break.

The next day, at 7 am we had already picked up by a travel agency to start our first tour to Ha Long Bay. We take the package one day to Ha Long for USD 2n/orang. The price includes round-trip air-conditioning bus, lunch, entrance fee to 1okasi tours, tickets for a boat ride on the lagoon and the English-speaking guide. Travel to Ha Long Bay takes 3.5 hours.

Visiting Ha Long Bay is what makes us feel lucky to have visited Hanoi. Ha Long Bay is a resort that must be visited. All hotels and travel agencies in Hanoi must have put a tour to Ha Long Bay as a first choice.

Ha Long bay was the site of the natural wonders of the lagoon (lake) surrounded by approximately 1900 large and small islands in the Tonkin Gulf region (140 km north of Hanoi). In the area scattered many rocks of various sizes that make it unique and very beautiful. Ha Long Bay is one of the wonders of the world are preserved by UNESCO. Even disebu-tsebut as the 8th wonder of the world.

Really beautiful and amazing scenery in Ha Long bay. Previously we could only find scenery like this in these calendars and magazine National Geographic. One tourist from America will not cease to say "Oh My God, it's so amazing!".

We could go to Dao Go cave. To enter the cave, we had to climb the trail as far as about 300 meters. Inside the cave there are a lot of stalactite and stalagmites are already hundreds of years old.

Very cheap original Pearl

Even more interesting, especially for female tourists, at the entrance of the cave, many people sell genuine pearls are very cheap. Imagine a set of necklace and earrings worth 120,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about Rp. 72,000 only. Just excited deh.

We also shopped d fruits floating markets around the lagoon. In the middle of the lagoon, the boat stopped to allow travelers to enjoy the scenery shop at floating markets or small boat ride into the tunnel, surrounded by high rock really exotic!

Enjoying Hanoi

The next day we did not lag use travel agents because they want to enjoy the city of Hanoi with ease We visited the buildings of the French colonial relic that is still intact and is left untouched, especially in the districts of Ba Dinh. Location is the famous French Quarter where many small streets with typical French quarter-quarter and surrounded by old buildings.

We also visited Van Mieu (the first and oldest university in Vietnam which was built in 1010), Dong Xuan Market, Van Phuc, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Palace and the Museum of Ho Chi Minh, Quan Pagoda Troc (one pillar pagoda), the theater and water puppet show.

Hoan Kiem Lake is a lake in the middle of the city is quite green and cold in the middle there is a pagoda (pagoda turtle). Around the lake are many seats that used by teenagers to mingle, old people who just sit around looking for fresh air, street vendors and tourists who were berjogging.

Around Hoan Kiem is a complex of shops that sell souvenirs such as handicrafts, hats and needs of tourists. Vietnamese people mostly use a hat when going out either in the form caping or wide hat. No wonder everywhere found a hat store. Souvenir shopping around Hoan Kiem quite expensive, so we were shopping at Dong Xuan market. Here, many Vietnamese souvenirs are sold very cheaply. If dirupiahkan only about Rp.3500 up to 25.000. If you like silk, Van Phuc silk village is the right choice. A strand of fine silk scarves for example, only appreciated Rp.60.000.

Ho Chi Minh Moseleum

Of all the places we visited earlier, the most interesting after Ha Long Bay is Moseleum (Lang Chu Tich) Ho Chi Minh City. In this moseleum corpse lay Ho Chi Minh City that has been embalmed and is guarded by a squad of fully armed soldiers. To be able to view the body of Mr Vietnam, we have to go through a ritual which is quite tiring. It takes three times checking to make sure we do not bring food, drinks, cameras, bags, etc. (except wallets). Still had to walk marching one by one as far as 150 m Long queues is quite tiring. But the "sacrifice" we paid commensurate with what we earn. It is amazing to see Uncle Ho's body that looked like a bed, with a smile on his face.

Good body condition, but Uncle Ho died in 1969. According to officials at the mausoleum, the body of Uncle Ho was taken to Russia once a year for treatment. Unfortunately we were only given a chance for 2 minutes to see the direct and forbidden to take pictures.

Water Puppet

The night before the last day, we witnessed the Water Puppet show, a sort of puppet show which played in the water timber. So people who move the puppets are soaking in water. Me and my friends wondering, what did not catch a cold soak in water at night. Very unique and probably the only one in the world. Water puppet show has been staged in many countries around the world.

Actually there are many attractions to visit in Hanoi, like Capha, Perfume pagoda, etc.. Visits during the four days are found to be sufficient. For those readers who are interested in vacationing to Hanoi, to obtain information on the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta or travel agency in Vietnam that can be searched on the internet. Definitely will not regret visiting this capital of Vietnam.

Standard Transportation No.

As the national capital, Hanoi could be said to be less modern, because of the lack of public facilities. There was hardly any trash on the street so that everywhere we had pocketed the trash. Residents tend to be friendly and "avoid" strangers. Modernization is slow.

Protruding from Hanoi is, the number of motorcycles and bicycles in every corner of the city. It is said that numbers 1.5 million motorcycles. Compare with a population of 3.5 million.

We briefly rose ojeg. Wow, really make the heart of sport. My friend did not dare to open my eyes. Public transport is vital in Hanoi is ojeg and taxis. For foreign tourists, the choice would not want a taxi. Taxis in Hanoi are rarely honest, except for those ordered from the hotel. No pricing is standard fare. During the seven times we took a taxi which nyetop on the road, six times argonya different.
Language is also one of the common obstacles encountered by tourists in Hanoi. Hanoi residents who rarely speak English. We were forced to use the language of "Tarzan" and carry a calculator everywhere to transact.

There was one funny incident. If traveling by taxi, we usually show a map where the location of our hotel. However, once the tempo with pedenya we just mention the name of the hotel and the course. It seems that taxi drivers understand. Apparently we stray. Investigate a calibaration, we misspelled the course. As a result the driver pack grumble-grumble. Fortunately we do not know what he's complaining.

Vietnamese cuisine

It feels less afdol when visiting a country without its distinctive taste. In Hanoi, there is rarely a fancy restaurant. Cafe is considered a luxury although judging by his place is not impressive luxury. It's also mostly foreign tourists who visit it. Funnily enough a lot of simple food stalls (like warteg here) that is named Cafe.

As in Indonesia, a lot of foods that are sold on the roadside. Neither seller nor hung around providing small plastic chairs for shoppers who want to enjoy the food.

The food we had tasted was Nom, bogor but added a kind of pickled beef is cut into pieces (in Vietnamese men cut with scissors, not with a knife). Then there's the Bun Dau Phu, which is know that fried and eaten with rice noodles and shrimp paste sauce. There is also Xoi Trung form of sticky rice that is eaten with stew egg. And one that perhaps our tongue is less suitable Cot Ba Che, a kind of rice porridge mixed with grated ginger but that tastes sweet, and served hot.