I traveled to the Far East from January 24th to February 17th, 2020. Yep, right in that weird moment just before airports, countries, and entire cities started shutting down because of Covid-19. I honestly don’t remember if there were official warnings before my trip, but I do know that by February, airports were already closing and travelers were getting stuck in quarantine abroad. Let’s just say—I escaped by a hair’s breadth.
Even funnier, I didn’t catch the virus in that whole first season or even the post-season of the pandemic. I mean, I did get vaccinated later, but honestly, who knows if that’s what kept me safe. Maybe I was just plain lucky.
|
| Happy New Year - exactly the one we don't want to remember |
Since I couldn’t get vacation days approved for this trip, I did what any desperate wanderluster would do—I quit my job. Silver lining? When I got back to Croatia, I was unemployed until June anyway, so I had plenty of time to reflect. That period was pretty cathartic, actually. I realized life isn’t about chasing career titles or shiny things—it’s about feeding your soul and doing what makes your heart happy.
But enough philosophy! The point of this post is to take you chronologically through my journey from the north to the south of Vietnam—with a cheeky little detour into Cambodia.
Here’s the route I took: Zagreb → Doha → Hanoi → Ninh Binh → back to Hanoi → flight to Da Nang → Hue → Hoi An → back to Da Nang → flight to Ho Chi Minh City → bus to Phnom Penh → Siem Reap (Angkor Wat!) → back to Ho Chi Minh → Mekong Delta → Mui Ne → and finally back home the same way: Ho Chi Minh → Doha → Zagreb.
Hanoi – Ninh Binh (Tam Coc) – Hanoi – Da Nang (8 days)
I happened to land in Hanoi right in time for the Chinese New Year. Imagine me, wide-eyed in the back of a taxi from the airport, staring at this chaos of towering concrete buildings, tangled power lines, traffic jams of every vehicle imaginable—and scooters. Endless scooters. I swear I saw an entire family on one bike: dad steering, two kids wedged in the middle, and mom chilling on the back seat.
The skies were a gray blanket of smog, but in between the madness I’d catch a glimpse of a pagoda or a patch of lush green trees and parks. My first shock? The hotel. Let’s just say… the photos lied. I ended up in a basement room with no window. When I tried to complain, the receptionists either didn’t understand my English or pretended not to. Either way, I gave up and went for a walk instead.
Travel tip: I booked all my stays through Agoda. Besides that one hiccup in Hanoi, it worked like a charm the rest of the trip.
|
| Street food in Hanoi |
|
| Usual day in Hanoi |
Now, let me tell you—Vietnamese coffee ruined me for all other coffees. I still can’t decide which was better: the version with sweet condensed milk or their famous egg coffee. Oh, and the food! Fresh herbs, greens, broths… I could eat their soups for the rest of my life. Fun fact: pho is a typical breakfast dish there. Beats cereal any day, right?
Also, I don’t remember seeing a single overweight person. Not surprising, since there are basically no bakeries or fast-food chains like we have back home. Instead, every house seemed to double as a shop or a street-food stall. Some Westerners might faint at the “hygiene standards”—I mean, I once saw a lady washing dishes on the sidewalk next to a rat—but the food was amazing, so I didn’t care.
Locals usually sit on tiny plastic stools that look like they belong in a kindergarten, snacking on sunflower seeds and spitting the shells straight onto the floor. Orchids grow upside down from tree branches. Bird cages hang everywhere. It’s chaotic but in a weirdly charming way.
Since most businesses were closed for the New Year, I spent my mornings visiting temples. Locals found me amusing enough to take pictures with me—apparently I was their good-luck charm. But once the holidays ended, Hanoi came back to life in full speed.
Crossing the street there is an art form. The trick is to just start walking and keep a steady pace. Don’t stop, don’t run—just let the scooters weave around you. It’s terrifying the first time but strangely harmonious.
From Hanoi, I did a day trip to Halong Bay (booked on Bookaway, like most of my tours). Gorgeous, but very “standard tourist” if you know what I mean. I also wanted to visit the rice terraces in Sapa, but the weather was rainy, so I skipped it (saving that for Laos one day).
Instead, I headed to Ninh Binh province. It was packed with tourists too—thanks, Chinese New Year—but still worth it. In Tam Coc, I took a sampan boat ride, rowed not by hands but by feet! Yep, locals row with their legs, and it’s as impressive as it sounds.
I rented a scooter to explore Bai Dinh Pagoda, the ancient capital Hoa Lu, Bich Dong Pagoda, and hiked the 500 steps up to Hang Mua peak for a dragon statue and stunning valley views. Sadly, the weather was gray and cold, and to top it off, I got sick with a fever. But ginger tea (which I tried for the first time ever) and a hearty duck dinner saved me. Miracle cure combo.
Confession: I didn’t have an international driving permit. I got lucky not being stopped by the police (I did see them checking cars). Lesson learned: don’t be like me—check the local rules before you rent anything on two wheels.
|
| Sampan boat rider - Tam Coc (Ninh Binh) |
|
| Bich Dong Pagoda |
Gas was sold in reused Coca-Cola bottles along the road, and parking… oh man. Every time I stopped my scooter, someone magically popped out of nowhere demanding a parking fee. At some point, I realized: to them, we tourists are just walking ATMs. And you know what? Fair enough.
On the road, I also passed people selling smoked goat heads that looked more like shiny golden statues than actual food. Creepy but fascinating.
After all that, I headed straight to Hanoi airport to catch my flight to Da Nang—happy to chase some sun and warmer weather at last.
Da Nang – Hue (Hai Van Pass) – Hoi An – Da Nang (7 days)
Oh boy, when I wished for warmer weather, Vietnam really delivered—times three. Da Nang greeted me with heat and humidity. It’s more modern and cleaner than the north, with shiny new buildings, but still buzzing with its own kind of chaos.
First thing, I rented a bicycle and pedaled to the beach, just to see how locals hang out by the water. Spoiler: not too different from us, except their beach looks way more exotic. I also stopped by the famous Dragon Bridge (yep, it’s literally shaped like a golden dragon) and then a taxi whisked me off to Linh Ung Pagoda, where a massive white Lady Buddha statue towers over the city like a spiritual lighthouse.
|
| Bảo Tháp Xá Lợi - Relic Stupa |
|
| Lady Buddha in Da Nang |
The next morning I was supposed to head to Hue by minivan. The driver was fashionably late… by two hours. But hey, by this point I’d learned patience—the Vietnamese version of “time management” is basically: you’ll get there when you get there.
Hue used to be Vietnam’s imperial capital, and I felt it the moment I stepped into the Citadel and Imperial City. I had just two hours before closing, but what I saw blew my mind. Ornate gates, endless courtyards, delicate carvings… and almost no tourists. It felt like I had the whole royal playground to myself. But then I couldn’t help but think of the sad history—how the French colonizers stripped away so much from this once-glorious city. That thought stuck with me for a while.
Fun fact: part of the complex was called the “Purple Forbidden City,” a zone once reserved for the emperor and his closest circle. Now, anyone with a ticket can stroll through like a VIP. History is funny that way.
The next day I rented a bike again (apparently I love torturing my legs on holidays) and cycled around Hue’s countryside—through rice fields, villages, and along the Perfume River. Karaoke blaring from porches, locals waving hello… it was chef’s kiss. My mission was to visit the royal mausoleums, like those of Emperor Tu Duc and Emperor Thieu Tri. And here’s the kicker: no tourists. Just me, a bunch of ancient tombs, and some stone elephants and warriors guarding their emperors in eternal sleep. Magical.
Also, parking hacks in Hue: when I left my bike at one site, a guy gave me two options—pay for parking or buy something from his shop. Guess who went home with random snacks and a Coke? 😂
After soaking up Hue’s history, I hired a private driver to take me down the famous Hai Van Pass toward Hoi An. The road twists through mountains and jungle with jaw-dropping views of the South China Sea. We stopped at fishing villages, lagoons, Marble Mountains (hello, cheeky monkeys), and even An Bang Cemetery—nicknamed “the city of ghosts.” Honestly, that place looked more like an amusement park of colorful, over-the-top tombs than a graveyard. I later learned each tomb could cost up to $100,000, often paid for by Vietnamese families living abroad. Talk about investing in your forever home.
By late afternoon, I rolled into Hoi An and hit the Night Market. Lanterns glowing everywhere, food stalls tempting me with sweet and savory bites, locals selling everything from clothes to paper boats you can float on the river. The atmosphere was electric, though way more touristy than Hue.
Hoi An itself is like stepping into a postcard. French-style colonial houses, Japanese bridges, lantern-lit streets—it feels like Europe and Asia had a beautiful baby. It used to be a major trading port, and you can still feel that history in the architecture.
I spent two days wandering, eating my way through the green market, and resisting (okay, only partially resisting) the temptation to buy souvenirs. You can also get custom-made suits and dresses here in just a couple of days, but I settled for stuffing myself with food instead.
One day I joined a group bike tour through the rice paddies, and some people even tried out those iconic round bamboo basket boats on the river (I skipped that one—looked way too wobbly for me).
Hoi An was magical, but after a couple of days, it was time to head back to Da Nang to catch my flight south to Ho Chi Minh City.
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Angkor Wat (4 days)
I didn’t spend much time in Ho Chi Minh City before hopping on a night bus to Cambodia. But I did squeeze in one little detour—the Bitexco Financial Tower, the city’s tallest building, to get a panoramic view. On the way back, I stumbled into a street filled with “ladies of the night” offering their services to literally every man who passed by. Talk about unexpected sightseeing.
Now, the night bus to Phnom Penh… let’s just say it was an experience. I had a “bed” right above the wheel, so every bump in the road felt like I was riding a mechanical bull. Add to that loud music and my stubborn insomnia, and voilà: zero sleep. By the time we arrived in Phnom Penh, I was basically a zombie with a backpack.
 |
| Phnom Penh - typical Cambodian carvings |
And then came the tuk-tuk swarm. The second I stepped off the bus, I was surrounded by at least ten drivers waving their arms and shouting offers. Honestly, choosing one felt like playing reality-show roulette.
Phnom Penh itself felt rougher and poorer compared to Vietnam. The people didn’t seem particularly fond of their Vietnamese neighbors—locals openly said they preferred the Chinese, who are heavily investing in bridges and infrastructure. The vibe was different, heavier somehow.
Still, I did one unforgettable trip there: a visit to Wildlife Alliance, a nonprofit sanctuary for rescued animals. Many of the animals were victims of conflict with humans—farmers hurting elephants that destroyed crops, or poachers capturing sun bears, monkeys, and even tigers.
First stop was a local market, where we stocked up on fruit. Back at the sanctuary, we fed elephants, and then I carefully offered grapes and plums to monkeys. The smallest baby monkey was obsessed with my Velcro sandals and tried to peel them open like a toddler with a new toy. Heart-melting.
But nothing prepared me for the sadness of seeing the sun bears—tiny bears with bright orange chest patches—rescued from awful conditions. The visit was emotional but also so inspiring, seeing how much love and care the staff put into saving these creatures.
The next day was reserved for the star of Cambodia: Angkor Wat.
This place is massive. So massive that I didn’t even attempt exploring on my own. Instead, I booked a small group tour with a local guide, which turned out to be genius. He took us in reverse order of the crowds, so we often had temples almost to ourselves (rare miracle).
And wow… Angkor Wat is as breathtaking as you imagine. Towers, carvings, endless corridors—it feels like stepping into another world. Around the temples, saffron-robed monks added even more magic to the atmosphere.
We visited Angkor Thom, with its stone faces smiling mysteriously at you, and Ta Prohm, the “Tomb Raider” temple where tree roots snake around ancient ruins like something out of a fantasy novel. Bayon Temple was another highlight, with its many carved faces watching you from every angle.
Our guide dove deep into mythology, pointing out how devas (guardian deities) and asuras (demon gods) are sculpted pulling a giant naga serpent, symbolizing the churning of the ocean to recreate the cosmos. It was fascinating, though I’ll admit—by now most of those stories have slipped from my memory. Mythology isn’t exactly my strong suit. For me, it was enough to just be there, trying to imagine what this place looked like in its prime.
 |
| The south gate of Angkor Thom |
The level of detail blew my mind—dancing women carved into every wall, terraces, staircases, endless galleries. It’s the kind of place that no text (or even photos) can ever really capture. You just have to go, stand there, and feel it.
Ho Chi Minh City – Mui Ne – The Grand Finale (4 days)
 |
| Ho Chi Minh City |
 |
| Mui Ne - Fishing village |
 |
| Mui Ne - Sand Dunes |
0 Comments