Treat Yo'self Day(s) in Hanoi and Halong Bay

After a brief respite in Phong Nha and Dong Hoi (the city with the airport closest to Phong Nha), I suddenly found myself back in the hubub of a Southeast Asian city and determined to find a proper escape from the nonstop honking and near-death experiences each time I crossed the street. And so, my arrival in Hanoi morphed into Treat Yo'self Day: I got a leg wax, a Vietnamese coffee scrub, and my first-ever pedicure (in Barbie pink, of course!) at a spa.

Touring Hoan Kiem Lake as the sun set over my Treat Yo'self Day

I paid (for the first and last time this month) to have someone else do my laundry. I picked up my big souvenirs for the month's travels: two gorgeous handmade lacquer ceramic vases. A local art, all sorts of unusual vases are sold all over Vietnam, but I have to say, these two were my favorites.

Vases from VietCraft which went on to fill up the bulk of my carry-on backpack for the rest of my travels across SE Asia.

And finally, I signed up for a luxury one-night cruise on the Halong Bay.

Halong Bay: so promising before the thunderstorms rolled in

Sadly, like all good things, Treat Yo'self Day had to come to an end, and did so distinctly before the cruise began. While the vases remain an intact remnant of that lovely day, the rest of the day's luxuries rapidly disintegrated, first of which was certainly the "luxury" cruise. Despite the positive reviews on tripadvisor, I entered my room to see a stream of water flowing down one wall. With not-so-distant memories of another Vietnamese room flood coming to mind, I preemptively stacked my luggage on my bed and was very grateful for the forethought when I returned later that night to find the same sort of musical performance pattering against my floorboards as had visited my bunkbed just a few days prior, back in Ho Chi Minh City. The key difference, however, was that this time I had paid 20 times more for the same deal! After a night spent spooning my suitcases, I was reimbursed a total of approximately $6, or 1/30 of the cost of the cruise. Coupled with the cloud cover and evening thunder storms, Halong Bay was an all around disappointment. Beyond an enjoyable hour-long kayak trip, I pretty much wasted my money on this one. I am not confident that these countries have mastered the concept of customer service as it pertains to luxury tourist experiences.

Halong Bay cruise, complete with visit to a pearl farm, kayaking, spring roll cook/prep lessons, and one very leaky room.

An unexpected challenge in Vietnam was the quest for some decent food. While ingredients often tasted fresh, Vietnam fell short of Thai standards when it came to rich, intense flavors and vegetarian options. And beware of their meats: unlike the Thai, Vietnamese openly acknowledge eating dogs, and the reality shows in the countries' respective populations of stray dogs. That said, I did manage to stumble across a few real finds. The most memorable was The Lantern Lounge (2nd floor, 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), where we sat on pillows, the dim room lit by the soft hues of a hundred different brightly colored lanterns. (You can see a photo in the bottom left corner of the collage.) Here, my pineapple curry fried rice was actually served to me in a fresh pineapple. The relaxed atmosphere felt miles away from the street one floor below. And on my last day, I discovered the Lucky Day Restaurant (62 Hang Bo St., Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), where the service was shockingly slow but the end product worth the wait: The fried noodles and seafood were the most fresh and flavorful dish I had across Vietnam. 

Dining in Hanoi

Generally, to give Hanoi some credit, it has more charm than Ho Chi Minh City. The Old Quarter can be a lot of fun for meandering. The narrow winding streets give this part of town an intimate feel. And the city stays up late and wakes early, so no matter your schedule, you'll be entertained.

Wandering through Hanoi, mostly the Old Quarter

I spent my final day in Hanoi visiting the Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum. I was surprised by how artistically the museum had been curated. The displays were all beautifully presented. There were many families visiting with children, and the young visitors enthusiastically posing in salute next to images of Ho Chi Minh seemed somehow very sweet.

Me at the Ho Chi Minh Museum

Exhibits from the Ho Chi Minh Museum artistically illustrate the Vietnam War, and Ho Chi Minh's struggles, strategies, and victories.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

I was surprised by how much I'd enjoyed the museum, as it was a last minute thought to throw it into my itinerary. Ending the city and country on a high point was a great way to wrap things up. After a brisk walk back to my hostel, I hopped a taxi, Thai iced tea in hand, vases carefully wrapped up in my backpack, and bags carefully loaded. Next destination: Luang Prabang, Laos.

Recommendations: 

If you do Halong Bay, try to book according to the weather forecast, and above all, avoid Majestic Cruises!

Worth checking out: The Lantern Lounge, the Ho Chi Minh Museum