The 4th Lockdown in Vietnam seemed never-ending. They started social distancing and restrictions on a few activities from the end of April. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. The government placed more restrictions on the people as the numbers increased rapidly. By Mid July, they had no other choice but to restrict everyone’s movement, no travel across municipal or provincial lines unless authorised to do so.
Finally, the government lifted restrictions on the 15th of October and granted free travel between green zones. Relief at the idea we could escape, and I immediately took to google to find a getaway on the outskirts of Hanoi. We had to Escape our bubble. We were becoming stir crazy looking at the same scenery day in day out.
I found a quirky little retreat situated on the banks of Đồng Đò lake, a mere 1-hour drive from the city. The well-appointed container home featured all the self-catering facilities with a bonus of a sandwich shop and bar situated on the roof terrace. Offering us all the amenities we would need to enjoy a peaceful getaway.
The weather was perfect, sunny, NO HUMIDITY with a cool breeze. It felt like the ideal South African weather I love and certainly miss, giving it the extra home-away-away-home feeling. A bit nostalgic, lazing next to the dam, enjoying the peace, tranquillity in a beautiful setting, chilling with the family.
Wherever we go, we always miss our country and people, so whenever we get the opportunity to light a braai, we pounce on it, rain or shine, we will braai! This holiday was no exception. Good meat, Salad and toasty garlic bread hit the spot! It was fantastic to hear the Little Rascals reminiscing and laughing about all our funny moments and adventures we have had, bonding around the fire, memorable moments we will always cherish together.
As much as the scenery and bonding were fabulous, our fishing was not. The giant finned slippery creatures still elude us in Vietnam. I believe the scale suckers know we are not Vietnamese and laugh at our lines, taunting us all the way. Regardless of the fishless fishing, everything was perfect, exactly what we needed.
If you are looking for a quirky, peaceful and relaxing getaway, you will love Gisy Lake House. The hosts are friendly and accommodating and offer a unique eco-friendly experience in a beautiful setting. Look them up when you need some fresh air and tranquillity.
If you are looking for a slightly different experience in Hanoi, then take a tour sampling one of Vietnams most delicate handcrafted bean to bar chocolate sourced from cacao beans grown on the Cacaoken farm in the Da Lat Highlands.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t go directly to the farm, and it has been placed on our bucket list on must do when we visit Da Lat.
Thankfully you dont have to travel to enjoy the fine chocolate. Join a tour to Highlands Cocoa shop in Hanoi with Vũ Hồng Thanh. The staff members and Vũ Hồng Thanh will take you on a journey showing you how the cocoa beans are grown, harvested, then rested in wooden crates for a few days while the enzymes work to create a flavourful cocoa bean. After a few days, the beans are dried and transported to the factory where the finest Chocolate and various flavours are produced, utilising every part of the cocoa bean in multiple products like cocoa tea and wine.
Our outing included making cute chocolate pops, sampled various chocolates, tasting cocoa tea, and enjoyed the class on making the best hot chocolate using quality cocoa powder, and having the opportunity to make one ourselves.
The Highland cacao” brand has produced high-quality chocolate products for years, winning several international awards for their homegrown beans.
The rascals enjoyed the tour, giving it the thumbs up 👍. We hope to see the factory soon and experience the farm first hand.
Yes, we finally made it to Phu Quoc. It is a beautiful Vietnamese Island found off the coast of Cambodia! Last year, we booked our tickets to visit the Island at the end of July 2020. It wasn’t meant to be! The 2nd Covid 19 outbreak hit Danang and stopped us in our tracks. It happened the weekend before our flight, and as we watched numbers rapidly increase, we were concerned about possible flight cancellations and the probability of being stuck on the Island. Not the worst place to be trapped, but with pets at home and hubby’s work, we eventually decided it wasn’t worth the risk.
We took forever umming and ahing wondering when it would be safe to rebook our flight and eventually agreed TET holiday would be perfect for another family getaway. Of course, as fate has it, ten days before our flight, the 3rd Covid 19 outbreak occurred. No refund or flight vouchers an option. We were faced with losing another flight for our 2nd Phu Quoc trip. We decided to wait till the day before the flight to make the final decision. We watched the Covid updates and numbers and eventually agreed if we don’t go now, we won’t try going again. The numbers seem to be under control, and we decided to risk it. Bags packed, we were ready for some much needed “Vitamin Sea”.
We had an early start! 4 am wake up was not fun, but worth it in the end. Masks on and bottles of hand sanitiser we were ready.
Arriving at Noi Bai airport, to our surprise, it was ghostly quiet. With no queues, Bamboo airline staff ushered us to the check-in counter. Thankfully I was prepared with our online health declaration forms completed, which meant we had a fast check-in. The passport control and security counters were also desolate, and we breezed through. The Rascals were super surprised as they remembered the long lines they had to endure last year TET when we headed off to Singapore. We boarded the aeroplane and headed to our seats allocated behind everyone, with an entire row in front of us free and ten rows behind us empty, making social distancing possible for our entire journey. The flight arrived in Phu Quoc 30 minutes early, and as we arrived at the baggage turnstiles, our luggage was ready waiting. The flight was by far the smoothest flight we have ever experienced from departure to landing, what a pleasure!
Empty Noi Bai
Empty rows behind us
Empty Bamboo Flight
1st glimpse of the Island
Hopping into a taxi, our driver spoke decent English, and as he drove us to the Radisson Blu Hotel, situated on the Northern part of the island, he pointed out all the places we should stop and visit over the next few days. It was a wonderful surprise to have a taxi driver proud to show off the best parts of his home town.
On arrival at the Radisson Blu Hotel, we found the staff welcoming, kind and helpful. The check-in was speedy and efficient whilst we quenched our thirst with a complimentary refreshing Ice Tea. The staff quickly arranged our key cards for early check-in. A Guest relations staff member accompanied us straight to our connecting rooms. She was an absolute gem. She showed us around, making sure we had everything we needed. I can confirm the hotel has everything any family could desire, from excellent food, accommodating staff, kids centre, pool, dining, clean beach and immaculate gardens and surrounds. The hotel offers complimentary bicycle and kayak hire to keep their guests entertained during their stay.
The rascals woke up early, eager to start the day with a mighty buffet breakfast. The Radisson Blu Phu Quoc did not disappoint. They laid out a fantastic spread. They had a fresh fruit juice bar, honey counter, pate and continental selection including delightful baked treats, and chef on hand to prepare your freshly made eggs to perfection, catering to any taste bud, including my fussy little eater.
Everyone’s tummies full! We were ready to put in our steps and explore the Safari Park. Vinpearl Safari was by far the best Zoo I have seen, and all the animal enclosures were clean, large and had significant enrichment to keep the animals content. The Rascals loved feeding the giraffe and Asian elephants. It was their highlight of the day. They also loved watching the Gibbons swinging between branches and trees, but most of all, listening to their calls. All in all, a perfect outing for the whole family.
We ended the day with a swim, cocktails and early dinner at the pool bar before heading onto the beach for a sundowner to take in the beautiful sunset.
The following morning, after another hearty breakfast, Viet Jeep was waiting at reception to whisk us away in an authentic 1969 American Jeep. The jeeps were used in the Vietnam war and left behind after the war ended in 1975. Our driver and guide Nguyen Phi Dung, had arranged to take us around the northern part of the island.
1st stop was the bee farm, but unfortunately, they were closed due to the Lunar New Year holiday. We continued to the next stop, the Pepper Farm, where they farm black, white and red peppercorns. I had never really thought about where pepper comes from and found the tour interesting. The trees produce pepper all year round, and once the fruit is ready to harvest, it is picked and left to sun dry for three days. You can see in the picture below a fruit bunch with mostly green fruit and the odd red fruit. The green fruit, once dried, turns black into black pepper and the red fruit changes to a darker red, making it the spiciest peppercorn. Did you know that white pepper is actually a black peppercorn without the outer skin, and it is the mildest pepper flavour of all three? Once the peppers have dried, the farmers will separate and package them ready to sell. The Island produces about 1100 tones of organically farmed pepper annually. I suggest making a pepper farm tour a must-do on anyone’s visit to the Island.
Our tastebuds warmed, we were eager to cool off. The Rascals were ecstatic to find out our guide was taking them to Rach Vem Bai or StarFish Beach as it’s commonly known. The beach is on the northeastern side of the island. It is popular with the tourist as it has an abundance of red starfish. We had to walk quite far out into the Gulf to find starfish. I was not expecting to wade far from the beach, thankfully; the water was warm around 30°C, the ideal temperature for me to get my clothes wet. The water was clear, and we saw schools of small fish, several hermit crabs, and loads of live sand dollars everywhere we looked. Starfish beach should be on your bucket list if you love marine life.
The starfish were never removed out of the water and placed back where it was found.
sea urchin
Hermit crab
Sand Dollar
It would be rude of me not making sure we explore a small section of the Phu Quoc National Park which makes up 50% of the island, comprising of tropical rain forests, waterfalls, coral reefs, wetlands and other parts of the surrounding natural landscape. My motto is, if there is a forest, we must explore and look for interesting trees, bugs, spiders and fungus. Thankfully for Cailyn, There were no bugs or spiders on the trail, and she did not need to do her unique ‘bug dance’, which she performs every time a bug flies or crawls past. We did enjoy listening to the sound of monkeys and birds in the distance and finding some unique looking trees, and taking in the fresh air.
Nguyen Phi Dung ended our tour taking us to Mui Ganh Dau Beach, the closest point to Cambodia. You just need a big hop, skip and a jump, and you may find yourself on the Asian continent. It was just a lookout spot for us as the tiny beach covered by litter was not inviting —interesting fact: Phu Quoc belonged to Cambodia and was taken over by Vietnam about 100 years ago.
The following morning, Viet Jeep collected us from the hotel. We had planned to spend the morning fishing with some locals. The Rascals were happy to be cruising on the Jeep again but mostly looking forward to a fun day on the beach and fishing in the shallows. They loved helping the local fishermen set out a small net for them to catch some fish and also cast their rods from the shoreline. Hubby was happy to be out on the rocks casting his line out deeper, hoping to catch the ‘BIG ONE’. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. He had a few bites but only managed to land a dinky toy’😉. The rascals were ecstatic with their haul, even if it was only four small fish, but they were beautiful. All the fish were released to enjoy freedom again and grow to maturity.
On arriving back at the hotel, we were treated to a traditional Lion Dance performance to celebrate TET Vietnamese Lunar New Year Eve. The lion dance symbolises the removal of negative energies, because the lion is a creature believed to bring good luck, health, and prosperity. It was so loud you can feel the drum vibrations running through the ground and up through your body. It’s always wonderful for the Rascals to witness the local cultures and traditions, and it’s a good world schooling opportunity. Happy Lunar New Year or Chúc Mừng Năm Mới 2021 in Vietnamese
Sadly, our final day on Phu Quoc Island and our travel plans had been disrupted with an eight-hour flight delay. The rascals were a bit upset as they missed their pets and were looking forward to returning after lunch to collect their beloved #furbabies. Still, it was a small blessing and gave us some extra time for a final swim in the pool and play on the beach, making funny sand art before checking out and exploring the Southern part of the Island.
Turtle Island
We booked a private car through Viet Jeep to take us around the Island and drop us off at the airport. 1st stop Dinh Cau Rock or Cau fishing pagoda and lighthouse, where the fishermen believe Thien Hau (the goddess of the sea) will protect them while fishing in the open ocean. Dinh Cau Rock is close to the Duong Dong Fishing Harbour, where we saw many fishing and tour boats. This will the best place to hop onto a tour boat if you want to go Island hopping, snorkelling, fishing or scuba diving.
Our driver headed over to the Pearl Farm, unfortunately, the tour was closed being a public holiday, but the shop was open to glimpse some stunning pearls. Pearls are graded according to surface quality, luster, and perfection of shape, roundness and symmetry. We saw some dazzling pearls and products. Hubby treated me to a beautiful pair of pearl earings, and we bought our daughter her first pearl bracelet.
At our next stop, the driver gave us a tour of Coconut Prison. He was an excellent guide and explained that the prison was the largest in South Vietnam. He explained what the prisoners had to endure during their imprisonment at the facility. Coconut prison, as you see it today, is a museum and memorial, built with fake prison quarters and mannequins detailing their story. This was not a fun visit but historically an essential stop for us. The Rascals said it was creepy, but it was good for them to see and understand how brutal the wars were. The Americans soldiers were in charge of this this prison, and they had some brutal methods of torture. Of course, we all know the brutality happened in all prisoners of war, no matter which country was in charge.
The surrounding perimeter fence was made up of at least ten layers of barb wire, making it impossible to escape. The prisoners, however, did not give up and dug tunnels under the prison with metal spoons. The tunnels were tiny and only men weighing less than 40kg could move through. They say only 21 men escaped. Most escapees were recaptured and tortured again and again.
Tiger Cage, was a brutal torture method, leaving the men to be scorched by the sun for days with only their shorts on, given rice and salt to eat and no water.
Prison quaters
Digging their way out
Freedom, after escaping the prison
Our final stop before heading to the airport was Sao Beach the “crown jewels of Phu Quoc. I believe it could be, but as it seems with most public beaches in Phu Quoc, they are filthy and unloved, piles of litter everywhere. A pitty as the sand was snow-white and the water was emerald blue with some cute Instagramable frames and swings submerged during high tide which looked fun. We sat at the beach bar to take in the last view and wasting time before our flight.
We had another memorable family vacation, finding something fun for each of us to enjoy. Phu Quoc will be remembered as we made lifetime memories for our Rascals to look back on when they are older. If you are thinking about visiting the Island, I believe you will have an enjoyable stay. There is enough to do for a few days to enjoy the sights, beaches and food, and plenty of time for much-needed R&R
On the 27th of October, 2019, we were ready for another adventure. This time we were heading to the tourist capital of Vietnam. Yes, you guessed it we jetted off on Bamboo air to explore the city of Da Nang. It’s a 2-hour flight from Noi Bai airport and the halfway point between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. We hopped in a taxi to Meliá Da Nang Beach Resort. The friendly staff checked us in quickly and kindly upgraded our hotel room to one of the villas with an outdoor garden and a hop, skip and a jump away from the pool and beach. It started raining, and the porter shuttled us quickly to our villa, where we had time to unpack, order room service before heading to see the famous dragon bridge display.
Photo was copied from Meliá Da Nang Beach Resort, on arrival it was raining.
8.30 pm the taxi was waiting to take us to Da Nang Dragon Bridge, its the longest bridge in Vietnam. Still, more importantly, on weekends at 9 pm, it offers a dazzling display of lights and the intense heat as the dragon breaths out the fire, then cools down with water shooting out of its mouth. For the best view, I would suggest booking one of the boat trips and view the display on the river away from huge crowds that gather.
I have only good reviews of the hotel, and its amenities including buffet breakfast, pool bar, dinner and room service, the staff were always friendly, kind and helpful going beyond to ensure our stay was memorable. The villa was spacious, with a large spa bath and outdoor shower, even the toilet was high-tech with seat warmer and jets from all angles, think you might need a PhD to operate 😉, the kids were highly amused to find a telephone next to the toilet. They were coming up with a different reason why one would require a phone whilst completing one’s private business🤣🤣.
Our first full day at the resort was a lazy day; the weather was perfect. We started with the most important meal of the day, a buffet breakfast with a wide selection of fresh fruits, pastries, cold meats, bacon, sausages and egg prepared on the spot, there was Asian breakfast and sushi on offer a wide selection for any taste bud. After breakfast, the children were desperate to try out all the pools and play on the beach. Unfortunately, the red flag was up due to rip tides. Hence, we settled for a beach walk and morning swim before heading out to the beautiful UNESCO town of Hoi An,
Hoi An has become my new favourite spot. I loved wandering along the bustling narrow roads of the old town, popping into all their quirky shop’s selling silks, clothes, ornaments, dream catches and more. The streets colourfully decorated with endless lanterns strung across the road and dangling from windows and doors. We walked for hours admiring all the sights and smells Hoi An had to offer. The sun had finally worn us out, hot and bothered armed with pork sausage toes we finally sat down for a sunset dinner, then jumped into a taxi back to the hotel. I wish we stayed till dark to see all the lanterns glowing. Hmmm, 🤔 I have just given myself a great excuse to return for another visit.
We woke up to a very dreary wet day, headed to breakfast in the hope the weather would magically change before the shuttle bus dropped us off at Ba Na Hills. I was ready to tick off one of my bucket list items, The Hands I mean The Golden Bridge. Ba Na Hills is a little French village about 450m above sea level and serviced by numerous cableway systems connecting gardens, bridge, town and pagodas together all found at different elevation levels over the mountain.
My missed bucket list photo opportunity, unfortunately, all I have is the google photo to imagine how spectacular the view could have been.
We knew we would be disappointed, but we could only hope the weather would change and had to give it a chance. Hey ho, looking back on the day of drenched rats we can laugh at the day’s events. I’m sure it would have been a magnificent adventure on a clear dry day—another good reason to return for a do-over.
Visibility low
Our reality, zero view!
Another wet day in Da Nang, we had a few hours to kill before our flight home, so we went exploring Marble Mountain. Marble mountain is a group of five hills named after the elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth). ‘According to ancient folklore, a dragon emerged from the water on Non-Nuoc Beach and laid an egg. A thousand days and a thousand nights followed before the egg hatched, and out stepped a beautiful girl. The fragments of the shell were left on the beach and eventually grew into the five mystical Marble Mountains’. Thankfully we didn’t have to walk up all the steps and chose a one-way elevator ride to the top and explored the mountain as we strolled down. The gardens and carving were magnificent, and I do think it’s worth a visit. By the time we were almost down the rain started to fall, and we hurried to find a taxi to take us to Da Nangs 3D and Upside down museum.
The Museum was a perfect way to kill time and stay dry. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
We had a memorable vacation in Da Nang, and could undoubtedly imagine ourselves living happily in the area. Da Nang is indeed cleaner than Hanoi, and thanks to the sea breeze, the pollution levels are much lower. Another bucket list destination not to miss if you are travelling to Vietnam.
Rise and shine, we had to wake up bright and early as we looked for a taxi to take us into town, and catch the 8 am bus. Our taxi driver was efficient but impatient as he zipped through traffic, hand on the horn beeping whilst switching lanes whenever he spotted a gap. Destination Hanoi Old Quater to catch the Cat Ba Express as we headed for a short getaway to explore the Island with my parents, visiting from South Africa.
It’s a 2-hour comfortable bus ride to Hai Phong dock to catch a speed boat to the Island. We were all expecting a fast ride across the bay, but it didn’t materialise. Aiden was bitterly disappointed as the tug boat slowly chugged along as it crossed to the other side, where the next bus was waiting to take us to our accommodation at Cat Ba Sunrise resort.
We were warmly greeted at the door and ushered into the aircon lounge for welcome drinks, and cooling towels. The staff were friendly and helpful, organising our 1st night’s meal, before showing us where to find all the hotel amenities and taking us to our rooms. Our rooms were clean and comfortable with mini bar, aircon, free wifi and views over the pool and beach.
Naturally, after check-in, the children had to try out the resort pool and beach, whilst the adults relaxed at the beach bar to take in the view.
Kids revitalised and cooled after their well-deserved swim; we took a stroll down the hill to explore the town. If you don’t want to walk, you can wait for the CatBa shuttle service running along the main road for $0.45 per person. The town is as expected with many restaurants, bar and shops selling souvenirs, t-shirts, and more, but for me, it was all about the view over the bay! We tried a few restaurants during our stay, and unfortunately, we didn’t find anything exceptional, and their prices were over-inflated as expected due to being a popular tourist destination. Thankfully we were in CatBa to explore nature and not the food.
I woke up early, dreaming about the buffet breakfast, and CatBa Sunrise Resort didn’t disappoint. There was something for everyone, from eggs, bacon, pastry selection to traditional Vietnamese Pho, everyone left the breakfast bar with full tummies. Now we’re ready to explore CatBa National Park. I wanted to walk into the forest, find some interesting critters, birds and plants. As we weren’t planning to walk to the busy view point, they advised us to take a guide to explore a quieter part of the forest, not sure why, but we obliged, didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks with my parents.
The forest was alive, buzzing with energy. We saw spiders, bugs and mushrooms everywhere; it was difficult to spot any birds, nor did we spot the rare monkey. None the less I am glad we explore even a small portion of the forest.
This spider was massive, the size of my hand. I accidentally walked straight into the edge of his web, lucky for him it was a strong web the spider no damage done, but I might have done a little freaked-out dance trying to shake off any possible spiders sitting on me.
Next stop Trung Trang Cave. Essential to note CatBa National Parks entry fee includes free entry to the cave. Once you have paid It will take about 30 minutes to navigate through the cave; some areas could be difficult as the cave roof is low and you are required to bend your knees and shuffle through the channels. You can expect to see some beautiful stalactites and stalagmites which glisten in the light.
We had worked up a sweat thanks to the high humidity; we were ready to head back to the resort and relax by the pool before heading out for an evening meal.
I was up early with the sparrows, as I wasn’t going to skip breakfast that I didn’t have to make. We had an early start to catch a boat for our one-day boat trip around Lan Ha Bay, featuring over 2000 limestone karsts in various shapes and sizes topped by rain forest as well as many little secluded beaches and coves.
The boat trip was relaxing, but the weather had other ideas, it rained on and off, and the clouds made it challenging to capture the bays true beauty. We visited a floating fishing village, stopping at a family’s fishing farm, where he proudly showed off his prized catch. The fishermen always keep their biggest prized fish for good luck; he won’t part with it unless he catches something bigger. The other holding ponds contain the fish they sell at the market.
After the farm, we cruised around some more before throwing down the anchor ready for lunch. Some brave soles dived off the boat into the calm emerald water while the rest relaxed on the deck. Once everyone had a chance to swim, we headed off to rent some kayaks to venture through some caves where boats were unable to go. If only I had a waterproof case I could have taken my phone; there were plenty of photo opportunities that I missed.
The fishermen keep dogs to help protect the fish from Hawk’s and sea birds trying to feed on their catch.
It was a relaxing day out and a perfect way to end our holiday. Bags packed we caught the bus back to Hanoi.
Too excited to sleep, I stayed up wondering how our first travel adventure in Vietnam would be? Would everything be open as it was the TET holidays on the 5th of February 2019, or should I say Vietnamese Lunar New Year? I managed to drift off for a few hours before my alarm woke me up. A work colleague organised a private car to take us to the Green Bus pick up point in Hanoi. We booked a sleeping bus, whatever that meant, but it sounded good!
Well, it turns out our sleeping bus was more than I expected. When you enter the bus, the staff provided a plastic bag to store your shoes. With your shoes off, the staff usher you to your seat. The sleeping bus has three columns of double-decked beds. The children were ecstatic, the first-time adventure on a sleeping bus, never seen one before. If you have long legs, it does feel a bit cramped, especially trying to get into the top deck bed. Thankfully we were all seated on the lower level and settled down for the 6-hour drive to SaPa. I do like a road trip, taking in all the scenery as you drive by. The road was a bit hairy after it left the motorway and the bus snaked around numerous tight bends sometimes taking up the entire road to make the turns. But oh, wow! The scenery was breathtaking.
Our return journey, the bus seemed more spacious and more comfortable
Pit-stop to grab a snack and use the loo. No eating on the bus
Scenic drive
Finally, we made it. The bus dropped us off at the entrance to the town. Armed with Google maps, we pulled our suitcases along to find our accommodation. Down tight streets and alleyways to reach, The View Hotel. We arrived at our hotel, but it was closed? I was a bit disappointed as it was not what I expected. We dialled all the numbers on the door and waited for someone to arrive and check-in. Funny story, we were at the wrong hotel 🙈 this was Sapa View Hotel, but, we were booked at The View Hotel. Easy mistake. Poor staff, we disturbed them on their holiday 😂😂. Red-faced and embarrassed, we laughed and giggled as we made it down the last few streets and check-in at The View Hotel.
It was a fair walk, thankfully down-hill, but we were glad to settle into our room and drop our bags. The room was spotlessly clean, with everything we would need, including free wifi, aircon and mini bar fridge to store some food we brought for my fussy son.
Staff at The View Hotel organised a taxi to take us on a tour of the mountains and wait for us to explore before continuing onto the next place. It was surprisingly affordable considering he spent the whole afternoon driving and waiting for us.
First, stop Heaven’s gate a 15 km Drive along the Tram Ton Pass from the hotel. It’s like you are on top of the world with spectacular views of Hoang Lien Son mountain range situated about 2047m above sea level, the highest mountain pass in Vietnam.
Heaven Gate, you are on top of the world.
We turned around and headed back towards SaPa stopping at Love Falls about a 2km Drive from Heavens Gate. To reach the falls, it’s an easy 30-minute walk on a well-paved path from the entrance. It was great to see crystal clear water, unlike Hanoi dirty, polluted streams.
Our last stop Silver Waterfalls, you need your walking shoes to tackle the steps it goes up, up and up! Silver Waterfalls is 3km from Love falls. Regardless of all the steep steps, it was well worth the view. Feeling rejuvenated back in a familiar happy place, surrounded by fresh air, mountains and waterfalls, reminded me of South Africa.
Weary, and tired the taxi driver dropped us off at the Skyview Bar and Restaurant, he must have thought these passengers need a drink! We enjoyed a cocktail on the deck overlooking the town and mountains before heading inside for a well-deserved meal.
Vietnamese Lunar New Year, we spent the day at Sun World Legend exploring Fansipans spiritual sites. From the town centre, we caught the funicular to the Cable car station. Then hopped on a cable car taking us over the mountains, valleys and rice paddies to the reach the top of Hoang Lien, Son mountain, commonly referred to as the “Roof of Indochina.” From there we visited Bich Van Thien Tu and Thanh Van Dac Lo, admire the gardens and took in the breathtaking views.
The View Hotel Staff invited us to join them at midnight to bring in the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the year of the Pig! I am glad we joined their festivities. It was an excellent way to learn a little more about their culture and traditions, as strangers sat and cheered each sip, whilst explaining how they usually have the whole family come together. It’s always a happy time; no family disagreements take place on the last day of the year. The head of the family conducts a 10-minute meeting at 11.50 pm to discuss the past year and hopes for the new year. They treated us to some of their traditional snacks and drinks, and the hotel owner gifted the children with ‘Lucky money’. The money placed in little decorative envelops and opened the next morning—an eye-opening and enjoyable night.
Last day in SaPa we ambled down the road to find Cat-Cat Village nestled at the bottom of valley only 3km from SaPa Town. I enjoying the walk downhill taking in the beautiful mountains, terraced rice paddies and watched the grazing water buffalo as we passed. Cat-Cat Cultural Village was formed in the 19th century. It was suppose to offers tourists a glimpse into the daily life of local ethnic people. Learn about their traditions, watch them weave beautiful fabrics and purchase some traditional souvenirs and handmade items. I think you need to do this with a guide and not alone as we had no information available. I would definitely revisit the village with a guide as it was fascinating and I would love an inside view into the villagers ways of life.
Blessed with unseasonably warm weather on our trip to SaPa; we had a wonderful time, a great start to our Vietnam adventures to come.
SaPa should be on the everyone bucket list when visiting Vietnam; you won’t be disappointed.
Last week I watched as the country of Vietnam, celebrate the Mid Autumn or Moon Festival. Of course, it was on a much smaller scale due to COVID, but exciting none the less. This was my 2nd year experiencing the festival, and I wanted to share my understanding of the festivities as I know it. Please feel free to correct, share or add on any information on the festival that I have failed to mention.
The festival started in China, but Vietnam has added their twist of traditions, legends and folklore tales unique to their culture passed down through the generations. It was created for children and an important time for the parents to make up for the endless hours dedicated to bringing in the harvest as well as the extended period spent grafting in the fields. It was also a time to give thanks to the Earth God for a good crop as the full moon symbolises fullness and prosperity of life. They do this by placing the worshipping platform in the garden laid with fruits, snacks and mooncakes at 10 pm, friends and family gather together and enjoy the feast and giving thanks.
During the lead up to the festival, you can expect to encounter the ‘Moon Cake’ which are eaten and gifted to friends and family during this time. The cakes are traditionally filled with salted egg yolk and stuffed with bean or lotus seed paste and coved in a decorative dough. The moon cakes have evolved, and new exciting flavours are available in bakeries and shops to sample. I must say I enjoy the eye-catching pop-up shops leading up to the festival. They have a variety of beautiful designs, but most of all, the array of brightly coloured boxes in all different sizes available to purchase. I saw the most exquisite moon cake lantern box on Facebook; if I could find one, I would have bought it as a memento. It is unique and beautifully made; it even lights up! Check out the link, isn’t the lantern stunning?
The festival is not only about moon cakes, but it’s actually about the children and giving thanks to the earth god for a good harvest. As I walked around our local neighbourhood, many kindergartens were displaying their DIY funny face masks, paper lanterns and faces painted bamboo trays. They held concerts in the evenings, watch dragon dancers and then march down the street with them singing loudly and carrying colourful lanterns of all different shapes, sizes and colours.
A work colleague gifted my children with a funny mask, glowing bunny ears and silly glasses. My children also enjoyed a fun week making their DIY lanterns, painted bamboo plates and watched a dragon dance from our balcony.
Legend has it that many, many years ago a carp spirit came down and killed many children at night whilst their parents were working in the fields. It is for that reason the children carry lanterns to protect them from the carp spirit as he terrified of light.
How did we land in Vietnam? A place I would have never considered as my temporary home. To be honest, it wasn’t my first choice for even a holiday destination. How wrong and closed-minded I was!
My husband and I were on a mission. We desperately needed to emigrate and leave South Africa for the second time. We kept kicking ourselves at how stupid we were to have returned to South Africa in the first place after we had successfully managed to make a great life for ourselves in the UK and then Spain for nine years between 2000 and 2009.
My husband had his ten-year Spanish residence card. Next would have been a passport. Why did we give it all up? It started when the recession hit Spain, and it became exceedingly difficult with many companies closing down, a record number of redundancies and friends forced to return to the UK. We had just welcomed our beautiful daughter into the world, and we began to convince ourselves to give our beloved country a second chance. The only country we would unconditionally love like a toxic love affair impossible to end. We tried to pretend all was good and tried to forget all the wrong as we were willing it to become a country where we could feel safe, be close to our family and make a comfortable life for ourselves and our children. With heads in the clouds, we hoped ‘Mzansi could stand together as one and fight all evil’. I mean South Africa is a beautiful country, from scenery to culture and cuisine, not to mention our great climate and the big five, the number of talented sportsmen and women to name but a few. Unfortunately, the brutality is just too ghastly to accept. We had to get it out of our system. We had to accept, we would never have the freedom and security to enjoy its full beauty without fear. We could never be free from the bars we had to hide behind each night.
In September 2018, my husband accepted a position in Vietnam. It was unexpected as we never imagined a job opportunity in Asia, and we were excited to explore a world we had not encountered before. An excellent way to share it with our children. We finally realised we were living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. We were unable to settle down in one particular country or place, we seemed to be moving every 3 to 4 years. Looking for a new opportunity and new challenges. So why not embrace our lifestyle and explore a new part of the world. The experiences our children have world schooling, learning to respect different cultures, their ways of life and belief systems they come across as they interact with people of all ages
Everything steamrolled quickly. We had to give in our notice at work, sell our home contents, cars and source the countless documents required to be authorised, apostle stamped and then translated. My husband needed to be in Vietnam in October, which didn’t give us enough time. We decided that he should leave ahead of us while we remained behind to finish all tasks, and the children could complete their academic school year.
I need to give myself a big pat on my back. I did it all on my own. Ok, it wasn’t my first rodeo. We had relocated from Johannesburg to the UK, then the UK to Spain, Spain to Johannesburg, Johannesburg to Mosselbay, Mosselbay to Cape Town and now Cape Town to Hanoi. The only difference this time was the added pressure to sell the entire contents of our home, assist my daughter with her first year-end exams, organise a joint pool birthday/farewell party, and plan our final road trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg with our worldly belongings piled high in the car.
The day arrived 1 more day till we left our home in Cape Town. My wonderful mom flew in to join us on our road trip. One last night sleep in an empty home, with two beds and a washing machine waiting for collection on departure day. We enjoyed a final walk on Fish Hoek beach and finished our day off with a fabulous dinner in Kalk Bay.
With the sun shining bright we were ready. Last items dropped off at salvation army, car packed to the brim every inch of space taken up by worldly belongings. We waited for the final buyers to collect beds, washing machine and head out of Cape Town on our 1450km road trip.
Just enough space for everyone to sit
Our first stop a hidden gem off the N1 Matjiesfontein! It is only a two and a half hours drive from Cape Town. The perfect pitstop and an excellent excuse to explore the restored little Victorian street. We stopped for a bite and stepped back in time.
Tummies filled and legs stretched we continued onto Beaufort West another 230km drive for a well deserved night sleep. We book the Greys House through AirB&B, the accommodation was spacious, clean and exceedingly comfortable, with indoor pool and garden to keep the children entertained.
After a restful sleep, we were ready for the next leg of the journey, approximately 500km drive to Kimberly, to visit the worlds largest diamond mine and the deepest man-made pit in history. We decided to stay two days as we wanted to explore the town and its history.
We chose to stay at Jungnickel Gastehuis in Kimberly. The guesthouse service and English breakfast were excellent. Thankfully they had a pool and shaded outdoor space for my mom and I to relax and keep an eye on the children as they cool off after a busy morning in the Karoo heat.
Our final leg and feeling very cramped in the car we couldn’t wait to see our family in Johannesburg. I needed a holiday and spend quality time with my mom, dad inlaws before flying to Hanoi.
Final dinner
D-Day, 20th December 2018, we were ready to start our new adventure but oh how I dislike saying goodbye! There were no dry eyes at the airport. Filled with mixed feelings of excitement, sadness and guilt as we left our loved ones behind. We had to look forward and board the Cathay Pacific flight, looking towards the unknown future, but eager to reunite with my husband. It was the longest separation we had ever had to endure, but thankful it was coming to an end.
Tired of waiting in the long queue to check-inJhb to Hong Kong, short layover and connection to Hanoi
As challenging and as stressful as our move was, we managed it! We all settle into our new home and the children have adapted well to their new lifestyle.
If you are lucky enough to be given a chance to move to a new country, don’t look back, don’t live in the past, but be prepared, as every country has its pros and cons, and the 1st move is never easy. The reward for trying will be making a new life, exploring a new country and enjoying the adventure along the way. I can admit our 1st move was the hardest and took about two years to settle down, but with each move after that, it has become notably easier.
If you are looking for a weekend getaway from the city, I think we have just found a hidden gem. Ba Vi National park is only 60km drive from Hanoi.
Our family found comfortable accommodation using “Bookings.com” and checked into the self-catering Ba Vi Rose Villas for a short getaway. The rascals we’re extra excited because their fur babies could join as it’s a pet-friendly venue. This perfect little two-bedroom self-catering pad is ideal for the family and includes aircon, fans, free wifi, fridge/freezer, few glasses, bowls, spoons and chopsticks. There was a small garden with a patio, and we hired a bbq for our stay—the only thing missing was the kitchen sink. I did see a tap in the yard with a concrete slab, guess that’s where I was going to wash the dishes for our stay.
We had to be a bit clever with our packing being it’s self-catering, but as we don’t have a car to cart all the bits and bobs one would need, like food/drink, plates, utensils, fur baby must-haves and clothes and fishing gear, we had to be practical and find a way to fit our stuff into a taxi. Don’t worry, as South Africa saying “Boer maak a plan”. I filled my large roller bag with all food /drink, utensils and plates, had a tog bag for clothes, and carry a bag filled with water and fishing gear. I surprised myself at how small I managed to pack, compared to my regular South African getaways where the boot could hardly close.
Once we settled in and unpacked, everyone was dying for a swim. The pool was cool and refreshing, offering some fantastic views and “selfie opportunities” if you fancy a selfie.
The only thing left to do was find the perfect fishing spot before the sunset. I must be honest and admit, we have had zero luck in catching fish in Vietnam. We have landed some beauties around South Africa but two years here and we have not seen one. Everyone was determined to hook and land a fish and end our dry spell. Hallelujah we finally caught one, regardless of how small it was, it was a fish, and the kids were ecstatic. The little fish was released and will live another day.
All the fishing done, everyone was hungry, especially knowing we would finally be having our very 1st braai “BBQ” in Vietnam. It’s been almost two years since our last South African Braai. I was lucky to find some delicious boerewors and steak. I also made an improvised version of “Woolworths” sweet chilli skewers, garlic bread and carrot salad. Finishing the meal off with toasted marshmallows and ready for bed.
Ba Vi Rose Villas organise a driver to take us round “Ba Vi National Park” he picked us up bright and early and we headed out to the forest. 1st stop The Cactus Garden, oh my, what a disappointment! I bet it looked beautiful when the dome first opened. Aiden thought it was very spooky and run-down. Just needed some dinosaurs and it would look like an authentic Jurassic World. Thankfully the view over the dam made the uphill walk in the scorching sun worthwhile.
The next stop, visiting several French ruins from the 19th century and starting at the French Summer Camp where we saw two derelict structures off the path. It’s good to explore but doesn’t come close to the Old Church. Wow, a must stop and explore every inch of the church covered in green moss, adding to the drama and offering epic photo opportunities. Our driver was very kind and drove us up to the Church, it is a steep road to climb, and we were saving our energy to explore a waterfall. We didn’t make it to the French Military Zone.
It didn’t feel right going into the national park without a proper forest walk and visiting a waterfall. Of course, everyone moaned, it’s too hot, too many stairs, why do we have to walk? No More, can we turn around! It wasn’t a long walk, only 4km round trip. The walk was relatively easy, other than the extreme heat and all the ups and downs, but anyone can manage it, no matter your fitness level. Due to an unseasonably dry spell, the waterfall was not as impressive as it could have been. We were relieved to know that there was an open Kiosk selling refreshments at the parking lot. You can grab some refreshments from the kiosk before or after your walk to cool off and take a minute to catch your breath. All in all its a beautiful forest and glad we explored a small portion of it.
Beautiful forestSlow flowing waterfallWell maintained footpath to the waterfall
Our family thoroughly enjoyed the time away from the city, spending quality time together, making memories. We are blessed to have the opportunity to explore a small portion of what the world has to offer.
Lil Rascals Travel Adventures 