Local couple travel throughout Vietnam
Jonah and Kyla Janzen share their experiences as they toured throughout this unique country.
By Jonah Janzen
Our journey began in the southern part of Vietnam, at Saigon. The city has a population of 10 million, and you take a slow walk of faith to cross the street as the traffic flows around you. Seven million motorbikes are on the road, and they’re limited to four people (2 adults, 2 children) per motorbike. Motorbikes (50cc) don’t require a license.
There would be a 100% tax if you own a car. And if you want something nicer, exotic cars carry a 300% tax. We saw a Lamborghini Uris on the street. Maybe the tax collector drives the Lamborghini?
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We stopped by the Chu Chi tunnels, a 250 km web with three levels used during the war. We were told the tunnel we saw was heightened and widened so tourists could fit inside. We also saw an army tank left there after the war. The United States absolutely levelled that area; every tree we saw started growing after the war ended in 1975. We were told the land there holds 1 kg of shrapnel per square meter. The United States had also carpet sprayed a chemical called agent orange everywhere to kill the plant life, but the results were catastrophic. Three percent (3 million) of Vietnam’s population suffer from effects today that can be horrific.
Tired of the city life, we made our way to a small island called Con Dao, which many tourists still haven’t heard of. During the day, the beaches were empty. If you could handle the relentless sun, it was all yours.
We rented a bike and toured the island for a few days, and also went snorkelling and diving. While diving, I saw an octopus that instantly changed colours and became a dazzling white. Later we went snorkelling and diving at Nha Trang, one of the best places to do so. There are no fishing regulations in Vietnam, and they catch and eat everything. So what fish are to be seen is limited.
Owning a boat is heavily regulated. Boats are used solely for tourism, fishing and for transporting goods. If you want your own personal craft to go out on the water, grab a paddle. But once an engine is mounted you’re in trouble; we didn’t see one personal boat.
Our first home stay was near a town called Buon Ma Thuat. We stayed with a family to try and catch a glimpse of the local lifestyle. Our accommodation included a bed, mosquito net, fan, shared bathroom and cold shower. This simple and economical option ($15/night) provided our host family with a continuous stream of guests. Our home stay dinners cost about $2.25 each.
Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world. I spent many days looking for someone who could roast coffee beans properly. My search was not in vain, as I finally found a man who hails from Siberia. In the cheapest country I have ever visited, I had my most expensive cup of coffee, costing $20! The verdict? Superb! This coffee was out of this world, bursting with flavours that had nothing to do with the taste many recognize.
They also grow cacao beans in Vietnam. We found a place that sold delicious chocolate made straight from the bean.
Trees in Vietnam will grow through and twist around anything. While touring the countryside, we almost felt famous, as locals would break out in a smile, wave, and some would take pictures. No autographs though.
Onward we ventured to Hoi An, a place specializing in tailors, shoemakers and leather crafters. Vietnam is the first country we visited where most of the crafts available for purchase were of good quality and made in their own country, not in China (which shares their northern border). We placed our order with the shoemaker in the morning, and the pairs of shoes were delivered that evening. Incredible service!
The markets are open every day. They had eel, turtle, frogs and snails, which are hugely popular due to the French influence.
Leaving the coastline, we headed into the very scenic part of our journey, to Ninh Binh. Nearby this town are limestone formations, surrounded by rice fields and rivers.
Many school children practice their English by visiting tourist locations and conversing with the tourists. A little girl approached Kyla, asking if she could ask her a few questions.
For the next leg of our journey, we wanted to escape the tourism and experience something more majestic. So we visited Lac, a village just outside Mae Chau. On our first day, we rode bikes to a location where we hiked up 1200 steps and explored a cave where there wasn’t another soul in sight. We also rented a motorbike for only $9 and road to a nature reserve where we viewed some rice terraces.
We travelled from Saigon in the south up to Hanoi in the north and stopped in nine places over the span of one month. In Hanoi, it happened to be a holiday. Streets were closed for pedestrians to walk around, and we saw a mini car show of battery-powered cars for kids to rip around in, which was very cool.
Alas, it was time to say ‘au revoir, Vietnam.’ We never cared for their food. They are famous for eating soup three times a day, but eel soup for breakfast? No, thank you! And we discovered an unusual dessert at a shop in Halong Bay that was selling ice cream with red beans in it.
The Vietnamese drive like kamikaze and somehow survive. The sun can be relentless, the views are incredible, and the people are among the kindest we have ever encountered.