Hanoi: There is a certain insecurity that goes along with traveling on your own in an unfamiliar place, especially when you first arrive. Your bags take forever, you don't know the currency exchange rate, your phone isn't working and you can't connect to wifi. But you're excited and amazed and nervous and cautious all at once.
The taxi ride from the airport is the first culture shock. Almost impossible because of the language barrier, but encouraging because of the driver's attempt to communicate despite it. And the city! The big, overcrowded, too hot, nerve racking, entirely amazing city.
Ha Long Bay: No amount of large tour groups and man made beaches can ruin the aesthetic wonder of Ha Long Bay. With 2,000 limestone islands, bottle green water that reminds me of home, naturally occurring caves and man-made attractions, it is no surprise that this is one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
Hue: Hue is almost the opposite of Hanoi. Streets wide enough for cars and motorbikes to coexist, friendly people and generous monks, forrests and rice fields, authentic food and cultural history lessons. A motorbike tour of the city is a one of a kind experience.
Hoi An: Nicer people, better food, calmer streets, and a prettier town. Hoi An is a wonderful slice of Vietnamese culture amidst the hustle and bustle of overwhelming big cities. While it is clear that almost everything is geared at tourists, the picturesque river town and genuine people happy to share their culture make it one of my favourite spots in Vietnam.
Nha Trang: It is possible to find authentic adventures and pockets of relaxation even in the busiest of cities overrun by Russian tourists.
Saigon: The real Vietnam. A big city with an authentic feel, culture and history every where you look. And a true sense of the open hearted and forgiving nature of the Vietnamese people.
All in all, Vietnam is a stunning country. Striking landscapes juxtaposed by major cities; the contrast of nature and pollution; the overwhelming noise and population; people that are happy, even if not always approachable; and peaceful.
In my time in Vietnam I did not see a country that is still picking itself up, did not experience a people that are holding a grudge. It may be naïve, but I could have easily spent two weeks here without confronting the violent history of this country.
Vietnam cannot be defined by its past, but the horrors of the war should not be forgotten. Yet Vietnam lives on: boasting its culture and sharing it's country with anyone open-minded and adventurous enough to experience it.
